


The Sweet Song of The Siren

by ladyleahrbloom (leahday)



Category: The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Cecaelia - Freeform, Cecaelia's, F/F, F/M, Genderswap, Magic, Monarchy, Multi, Sea Witch - Freeform, Sequel, Sex Magic, Tentacles, genderbent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 09:50:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17526464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leahday/pseuds/ladyleahrbloom
Summary: Sequel to "He came from The Sea" Rated "M" to "NC17" for yummy adult content. Written in Australian and British English.Ariel’s reaction to this “nugget” of information was the polar opposite of Ursul’s.She was livid!Flying off the bed, the younger of the two Cecaelian’s paced the floor. Or tried to. The ten tentacles seemed to have a mind of their own.





	The Sweet Song of The Siren

The Sweet Song of the Siren, sequel to He came From the Sea

By Lady Leah R Bloom

Summary

Ariel has changed into a Cecaelia. A new destiny awaits her as a Queen, a Witch and a woman.  
But power always comes at a price …  
Disclaimer

I do not own a thing apart from the idea for most of the plot. Gender bent Ursula belongs to fans and Ursula and Ariel belong to Disney.  
Rated R for obvious reasons and written in Australian and UK English.

Now … On with the ficcy!

Flashback, Ursula’s lair

Gently, for it was as fragile as it was powerful, Ursula dipped the golden conch shell necklace into the fuming cauldron.  
“Do your thing,” she breathed, grey eyes glistening in anticipation.  
The fabulous voice drifted out of the shell, into the potion, it’s Siren’s Song enveloping the dark chamber with its bitter sweetness.   
Ursula sat back on her haunches.  
“One, two, three,” she hissed through clenched teeth.  
Out of the single orb shot two more. Two copies of the young Royal’s voice fell into step with their parent. same in sweetness and volume.   
The Witch crowed in triumph, her fist pumping the air. 

O0oO

“What do you think, boys?” the newly remade wielder of magic asked, twisting his head round all the way to ogle his now firm buttocks.   
Flotsam and Jetsam bobbed their heads up and down, hissing enthusiastically.   
“Good choice,” The Witch told them, running his hands through his black, lavender and silver streaked hair.   
Ursula-Ursul’s grey eyes narrowed as he continued a thorough examination of his new body. A body only achieved by bottling the power of Ariel’s unique voice and harnessing it.   
‘I may have to display my gratitude to the young lady,’ he decided. ‘I daresay I’m rather tempted to rise above and take her by surprise right now …’  
“Triton isss here ….”  
A plan. Either one that would end in disaster or success began to slowly unravel in The Cecaelian’s mind.  
Ursul grinned deviously.  
“Do show him in,” he purred.

End of flash back, Morgana’s lair, Ariel and Ursul’s chambers

“Well that was eventful,” Morgana remarked whilst Ursul lowered Ariel onto the clam bed.  
“Hmmm ….” Her brother mused as he slipped back, stroking his chin.  
“I got word from our spy at Triton’s. He’s taken in Jetsam.”  
This was mildly fascinating to Ursul.  
“Really?” he drawled, dropping his hand. “Poor Triton …”  
“That’s not the best bit. He turned your pet into a Mermaid and he’s marrying her, Ursul.”  
This time The Sea Witch let out a roar of laughter.  
“That’s amazing!” he cried, plopping down beside the comatose Ariel. “I’m almost proud of the little turncoat! Oh! Oh! Oh! My girl is going to love this nugget when she wakes up!”  
“Glad for you, Ursie,” Morgana sighed witheringly. She gestured at the sleeping Cecaelia. “And now you’ve got her where you want her …”  
Ursul reached out, stroking Ariel’s ribcage.  
“She isn’t sitting on our throne yet. Do try to keep up.”  
“Correction. Now your master plan is almost complete can you pay me for my services and move out? I need to figure out how to woo that Priest!”  
“He has a name, Morgana,” Ursul sighed and lay back, cradling the back of his head with his hands.   
“What is it?”  
“I can’t remember. Why don't you ask him? Or become besties with his daughter. He might notice you then.”  
“I tried. She hates me.”  
Ursul snickered.  
“I wonder why?”   
Morgana pouted.  
“Are you going to fix me or not?” she demanded childishly.  
“Fiiiinnneeee!” he hissed, pulling himself off the bed. “Fine! Off we pop!”

oOo

Peeved and ninety-nine percent knackered, Ursul returned to the chambers he shared with Ariel.  
His mate, Gods it felt queer saying, even thinking, that, was sprawled all over the clam bed, brand new tentacles all akimbo, face submerged in the pillow and snoring like there was no tomorrow.  
On another day Ursul would have found the sight adorable. But he was tired; he ached all over and needed to rest before they made the trip to their neck of the ocean.  
‘I must be getting old,’ The Witch thought without amusement.  
Pushing Ariel’s appendages to a side, Ursul slid onto the mattress.   
Twas an action the tentacles clearly resented.  
“Piss off!” he hissed before they could re-hog the space.  
The multitude of limbs reluctantly retreated, coiling beneath their mistress who muttered something unintelligible under her breath then nuzzled her pillow.   
Whilst Ariel settled back into her raucous snoring session, Ursul allowed himself a moment to properly study his bride.   
Her hair was different. A lustrous dark plum with streaks of glistening sliver.   
Her body was different. Subtle curves replaced the scrawniness of earlier.  
She seemed wantonly deadly.  
‘Gods help me when you get that crown on your head,’ he thought.  
The snoring dissipated and a sweet musk shrouded Ariel’s body indicating she was happy he was there.  
Ursul smiled faintly, eyes drooping.  
‘Why thank you, wife,’ he thought.  
And thus, The Sea Witch lay back and was out in less than a second.

OoO

Ariel woke to the sensation of being stroked inside and out by warm, soft fingers.   
‘I’m still alive … Amazing. That cut was longer than an incision …’  
She blinked and breathed in then out, regretting the action for her throat was still considerably sore.   
“Hello wife.”  
“Hello husband,” Ariel replied hoarsely.   
‘I still sound like me,’ she realised. ‘So … maybe it didn’t work … maybe he changed his mind?’  
Ursul was lying beside her but he wasn’t touching her. What was touching her was power.   
Her power.  
He had gone through with it.  
Sluggishly sitting up, Ariel looked down at her new body.   
Her skin was no longer a pale pink but a combination of white and cream fading into grey, ending in black. The membrane was harder.   
Ariel fancied she could have been a statue had she not felt the softness of her black bosom.   
Eyes travelling lower, she saw that her entire lower body was as black as night. It felt … nicer than the hard scales or the malleable human form.   
Ariel leaned backwards and with a surprised squeak unceremoniously sprawled over the clam bed and Ursul.   
Ten sleek black and white opal tentacles seemed to just … spew out of nowhere.   
“Gods,” she whispered staring at the mass of writhing limbs. “How am I going to manage with all these?”  
Ursul chuckled and stretched out like a large cat.  
“You’ll learn.”  
Ariel looked to her mate.   
He seemed completely unphased with all the appendages lying all over him.  
Looking back at her, The Witch shrugged.  
“Bound to happen sooner or later.”  
“Is your neck sore?” she asked, trying to organise her tentacles.  
“Nope.”  
Ariel had to admit she was jealous.  
“Why not?”   
“You’re a hatchling. You’ll heal slowly till you’re twelve months.” He added smugly. “My salve has already given you back the power of speech.”  
‘Of course it has,’ Ariel thought sardonically.  
Pulling her appendages off her mate and leaning against the pillows, Ariel furled and unfurled her fingers.  
“So when does my … apprenticeship start?” she asked, staring up at the ceiling of the chamber.   
“After our honeymoon, precious.”  
She looked his way.  
“Honeymoon?”  
He grinned.  
“We’re going to the surface.”  
Ariel was tempted to roll her eyes again.   
Of course they were going to the surface. And it wasn’t for a honeymoon.   
Ursul always had to have an agenda.  
“You mean we’re going to see Eric?” she swiped, adding snarkily. “I’m sure Flotsam is going to just love that!”  
“You’re adorable when you’re cranky, did you know that?” Ursul murmured.  
Ariel gave a less than ladylike snort.  
“Ha, ha and ha!” she scoffed. “When do we leave?”  
“Soonish. I have some news for you.”  
She was interested.  
“I’d like to hear this news.”  
Ursul rolled onto his side, facing her.  
“Your father’s remarried,” he revealed slowly. “To Jetsam.”

OOO

Ariel’s reaction to this “nugget” of information was the polar opposite of Ursul’s.  
She was livid!  
Flying off the bed, the younger of The Cecaelian’s paced the floor. Or tried to. The ten tentacles seemed to have a mind of their own.   
“That whoreson!” Ariel roared from the top of her lungs, forgetting her throat. “Ow!” she cried as one of her ebony limbs caused a book to tumble from a shelf and land directly on the other limb.  
From his spot on the bed, Ursul was rapt.  
“Lovely!” he exclaimed, waving his hands about as though he was the conductor of a grand orchestra. “Do go on!”  
“Whoreson fucking bitch!”  
“Absolutely charming! And?”  
Ariel stopped in mid pace and stared at Ursul as though he had lost his head.  
“And?” she echoed disbelievingly, her voice little more than a croak. “What else is there?”  
“Sorry to ruin your delicious outburst but you need to divide your rage.”  
Ariel still hadn’t a clue as to where this was going.   
“Divide my rage?” she asked slowly.  
“You’re forgetting your father’s hand in this,” Ursul explained, clasping his hands over the pillow he held over his belly. “Tis understandable because you’re royally pissed off but if you’re going to lose your shit it needs to be over more than one person, my dear Queen.”  
Folding her arms across her chest, Ariel glowered at the floor, watching her tentacles twitch.  
“He tried to kill you, sweet cakes,” Ursul reasoned. “And now he’s tying the knot with the undesirable who also tried to kill you.”   
Ariel said nothing.  
Risking getting whacked by a tentacle, Ursul slithered to her side and put an arm around her shoulders, massaging firmly.   
She didn’t try to strangle him.   
So far so good.   
“We’ve been asked to sod off,” he informed. “Arga and her father are coming with us. It seems my sister’s attempts of wooing have unnerved them both.” The Witch shook his head, amused and annoyed. “My sister’s an idiot,” he went on to stress. “But she’s a loyal idiot nonetheless. Smart loyalists are hard to find, even harder to fucking keep,” he added almost to himself.  
“Where are we going?” Ariel asked, pretending not to have heard the last part.   
She didn’t want her … consort to think he had to pander to her twenty-four seven just to keep her loyal.   
Ursul had been refreshingly honest. If he kept this up she felt inclined to not be a thorn in his pert onyx backside.  
She meant backside.   
“The Leviathan,” he told Ariel, tapered fingers tangling in her hair. “We’ll settle in. Charm the place so the uninvited can’t barge in. after a week, off to the surface we go.”  
“Can we do that?” Ariel asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Ursul smirked. Using the tip of an appendage, he playfully tweaked her nose.   
“To answer your question, ma petite.” He turned Ariel so he could face her fully, cupping her face in his hands. “Oui, oui, oui …”  
Ariel let out a husky laugh.  
“Are we really being evicted?” she asked, carefully extracting her face, all the while remaining within reach. “Or are you just restless?”  
Letting out a throaty growl, Ursul pressed his lower half against Ariel’s.  
Nostrils flaring, The Cecaelia trembled.   
“O-oh,” she breathed.   
Wrapping Ariel up in his arms and tentacles, Ursul ardently nipped and licked along her neck to her shoulder.   
“We’re not in a hurry?” she asked, tentacles twitching. “I thought we needed to start less-?” She shuddered as his teeth grazed over a sensitive spot on her neck.  
“Lesson one can wait,” her lover murmured, hands gliding up and down her back. “Everything can wait. I think we can let the old hag stew for a little longer, don’t you my dulcet darling?”   
Snarling and hissing like a wild cat, Ariel swiftly back handed Ursul and shoved him onto the bed with her tentacles.   
“I’m not fucking dulcet you bastard!” she shouted, towering over him. “You made sure of that!”  
Lip smarting and bloody, Ursul grinned back at her.  
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” he crowed. “C’mere wench!”

OoO

After a particularly rough foreplay and an even rougher fornication, Ursul told Ariel it was time to prepare for the return journey.   
“Sister dear needs to sulk,” was his reasoning in between pants. “We have three hours.”  
Ariel rolled onto her side, wincing as her body continued to stiffen up.  
“I want Arga to come to the surface with us,” she muttered.  
Her bed fellow sat up, smoothing his hair back.  
“I’m not really big on threesomes,” he sighed then stretched out his appendages. “Oh you rode me hard. Good girl.”  
Ariel tried to stretch her own out and winced again.  
“I think you rode me harder,” she complained. “I can hardly move.”  
Ursul made a pitying noise with his tongue.  
“We can’t have that, can we? Fancy a bath?”  
“Aren’t you going to fix your black eye? “she asked as he heaved himself off the bed. ”That cut on your lip and those bruises?”  
“Nothing a hot bath can’t fix,” Ursul replied casually. “Up you come.”  
Seeing there was no point in arguing, Ariel hooked her arms around Ursul’s neck, wincing at the ache in her arms.  
The limbs seemed to be crying out in protestation.  
“Sorry for socking you in the face,” she apologised as he carried her.  
“Twice.”  
“Twice.”  
“Apology accepted. I shan’t make the mistake of calling you ….” Ursul sunk into the pool, groaning. “Ohhh …. Where was I?”  
Beside him, Ariel tilted her head back, relaxing almost immediately as the hot water performed its wonders on her strained and bruised body.  
“You're not going to call me dulcet anymore,” she mumbled.  
“Well certainly not when you’re on heat.”  
Ariel felt a pinch of melancholy.  
‘I didn’t know I could bend like that,’ she mumbled, wanting to change the subject, looking at the dark purple bruises scattered over her arms adjacent to the raw bite and scratch marks and making a face. “Ow.”  
“I think a tonic will patch you up faster,” Ursul told Ariel, opting not to let on that he’d caught whiff of her woe, extracting himself from the pool. “Can’t have you lagging behind when we sod off home, can we? Wait here; I only need a few minutes.”  
“But you’re-”  
“Already healed.”  
As Ursul left, Ariel closed her eyes, putting a hand on her belly.   
‘I’m fine,’ she told herself as she leant back once again. ‘I am fine.’

oOo

Arga had many lovers both prior and post to becoming a novice. She liked passion as much as the next Cecaelia or Cecaelian however seeing what her Sovereign had done to The Queen caused a vast multitude of emotions to swarm through her.  
Ariel’s hair had been combed and pulled off her neck and back into a messy bun, exposing her injuries to Arga’s judging eyes.   
The bruises, the scratches.   
Oh Gods …   
“S-sorry!”  
The younger of the women near jumped out of her skin and smothered a curse with her hand.   
Craning her head, Ariel saw Arga blushing and floating in the wide chamber entrance.  
“Sorry to startle you,” Arga apologised clumsily. “I-Sorry-Ursul told me in passing I needed to see you about your trip to the surface; I didn’t know you’d still be …. Sorry Majesty …”  
Ariel heaved herself out of the rock pool. Hugging a nearby pillar, she pulled herself up and squirmed around till facing Arga.  
“You’re going to be my companion while we’re on the surface,” she told the Cecaelia curtly. “Have you been before?”  
“Many times. But may I-”  
“What?”  
“May I ask as to why you want me to accompany you?”  
Ariel was crossing her fingers.  
“Do you have an agenda?” she asked the novice.  
There.  
She’d done it.   
Arga’s aquamarine eyes widened in shock.  
“I …”  
“If you have one you had better tell me.” Ariel growled, palms sweating. “Spit it out right now.”  
The novice panicked.  
“I don’t have one,” she told Ariel, gesturing helplessly. ”If I did it would only be to make you happy.”  
“Happiness is up to us,” Ariel reminded tightly. “Isn’t that always the case?”  
“You didn’t become one of us by choice. I understand,” the blond said quickly. “But that doesn’t mean everyone is out to get you. I am on your side. I’m not interested in making an enemy out of you.”  
“Life is disappointment,” the former Merwoman reminded harshly. “We have to get used to it, don’t we?”  
Arga bit her lip.  
“Did you hope the ceremony would kill you?” she asked.  
Ariel flinched as though she had been slapped in the face.  
“That was none of your business!” she spat. “None of your business!”  
“I gathered that,” Arga replied nervously, backing away. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to! Just-Believe me, alright! Just believe me!”  
“Why?” Ariel growled, spittle flying from her lips.  
“Because I love you and he can’t!”  
“Well this is interesting ….”  
Arga looked like she was going to throw up.  
Ariel wanted to throw up, yell, have a drink and bolt for the hills. The latter was very difficult to do with tentacles and … There were no hills in this part of the ocean.  
She snatched a pitcher and a goblet, filling to the brim with dark red wine.   
“We both know you don’t love me.” she huffed, not even trying to protect herself. She wasn’t in the mood.  
“Touché,” Ursul said coolly as he set her tonic down, steely eyes fixed on Arga. “But I’ll be damned if a little novice is going to take what is mine from me.”  
“I am not an object!” Ariel barked, objecting to that at least. “Arga’s naïve. She has no idea what she’s talking about.”  
“Says the woman who not so long ago would throw open her legs for a man she barely knew anything about!” Ursul retorted bitterly.  
Ariel felt her tentacles tremble.  
“Ursul …” she growled, fingers curling into her palms. “We don’t need to make a scene. Arga’s learnt her lesson, haven’t you, Arga?”  
The blond Cecaelia nodded quickly.  
“I have. I really have. I-”  
“But if it pleases you,” Ariel continued. “She can be mine.”  
Ursul was inclined to take his eyes off the terrified woman in order to stare at his Queen.  
“Yours?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.   
“Yours?” Arga echoed.  
“Mine,” Ariel supplied quickly. “Guardian, advisor. She’ll be everything but a Priestess.”  
“But … I’m the only novice here,” Arga choked out in protest. “I can’t just-”  
“Too late!” Ariel cut off. “You claim to love me. Prove it. You will serve me. You will be everything I need you to be. Am I clear?”  
Tears welling up in her eyes, Arga dropped to the floor before Ariel and Ursul, the tip of her beautiful nose barely touching the cold marble  
“I will do whatever you want,” she whimpered, a sob begging to burst from her pink mouth,. “Thank you for your generosity, Majesty’s.”  
“Only one of us is being generous,” Ursul muttered under his breath. “Bugger off wench!”  
“Get up and wash your face,” Ariel ordered, ignoring Ursul. “You can’t travel looking like that.”  
Arga rose off the floor, head bowed.  
“Majesty,” she murmured meekly.  
“Well that was interesting,” Ursul remarked, watching the young woman take her leave. “I didn’t even see that coming.”  
“And you’re taking it so well,” Ariel drawled, leaning against a pillar, nursing her wine.  
Picking up Ariel’s tonic, The Cecaelian scoffed.  
“What? Do you really think I’m going to fly into a hissy fit every time you exercise free will?” he challenged.  
“I do belong to you,” Ariel pointed out.  
“Well yes. But as I have to continuously remind you. I don’t need a slave. I need another me!”  
Ariel arched a dark eyebrow.  
”Isn’t that going slightly overboard?” she questioned. “Another you?”  
Ursul clearly didn’t think so.  
“I have to rule the ocean, darling,” he pointed out casually. “You only have to bewitch it and co govern it. I cannot do everything on my own. I’m not stupid!”  
“As usual, you’re logic is outstanding,” Ariel muttered wryly.   
Pinching her wine and pushing her tonic into her hands, Ursul practically beamed.  
“I know it is.”

Arga’s father’s chambers

“Paredrae … Father ….You- you cannot be serious!”  
“As you already know. I’ve always been wary of the idea but Ursul is deadly serious,” The Cecaelian Priest replied as he poured hot wine for himself and his daughter. “We can no longer stay in this ocean. The human world no longer needs us.”  
“But, back to my question, Paredrae? You want Ursul and I to become Ariel’s Paradrae? You want us to look on whilst Ursul turns an innocent woman into a divine creature so we can go where? Mount Olympus? Tartarise?” Arga’s voice rose into a shout. “I’m not a novice anymore! Hera or Persephone might have me put to the sword if they see me coming!”  
“I did warn you, daughter,” her father handed her a steaming cup. “You become attached too easily. I love you dearly but your compassion and stubbornness can be a blessing as well as a curse. You’ve brought this fate upon yourself by admitting your love for that woman at the wrong time.”  
“I know that!” Arga snapped exasperatedly. “Just-Would you please tell me this without riddles?”  
“You’re angry and you’re afraid,” The High Priest told her, wanting to show his offspring kindness. “Remember not too long ago you were remarking on Ariel’s fear. That you wanted to help her. Being Venilia to Ursul’s Salacia could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. Whether it is or not is up to you.”  
“Unless Ursul’s been playing us all for fools and has no intention of letting Ariel become the divine,” Arga continued to worry, her father’s answer to her question not satisfying her in the least.   
“Trust me,” The Priest defended gently. “Our King has every intention of making Ariel one of the divine. She has the strongest blood.”  
“What if Ariel dies in the process?” Arga pushed. “What happens to us then? There is a real chance Ariel might die! Surely Ursul is aware of- Spares ….”   
the colour drained from Arga’s face.   
“That’s why he wanted …Why Ursul wants the sisters. If Ariel dies he will have all her sisters at his disposal … Oh my … That wretched slip of a girl and her sisters are lambs sent off to the slaughter!”  
Arga’s father rose from his chaise lounge.  
“Not necessarily,” he said, sitting beside her and covering her trembling hands with his own, “There’s every chance one of these lambs will rise from the ashes and remember what I told you. Ariel has the strongest blood. By surviving the ritual our new Queen has proven herself stronger than any of us assumed.”  
“Yes but-”  
“Arga?”  
“Father I swore to you centuries ago that Ursul was going to choose me to be the vessel for our portal. He wanted me to run the gauntlet …” Arga shook her head. “Why Ariel? She’s a half breed!”  
“Who has been blessed by Amphitrite not once but twice.”  
“And by being a siren she has Amphitrite’s strain in her blood,” she murmured.  
“Exactly. I’ve been fortunate to have enough to study the blood we collected from The Queen after the ritual. She has double the amount of power, it’s much more powerful than our own blood. That is why Ursul is no longer interested in using you.”  
Arga raked her hands through her hair, wanting to scream.  
. “This is a life!” she stressed. “Not a bubble! Ariel and her sisters have no idea of what Ursul plans for them! And I can’t warn her. I can’t warn any of them.”  
“Not if you and I want to survive. No. You mustn’t.”  
Gutted, the former novice stared at her tentacles.  
“Very well,” she muttered, defeated. “I’ll keep my silence for you.”  
Her father reached for her hand, squeezing it firmly.  
It wasn’t fair. It was cruel but the world was not without cruelty. Only a naïve person would believe otherwise.  
“You should finish your wine,” he told her. “Our journey will begin soon and I must think of new ways to fend off Ursul’s sister. She’s seeing us off and her newly regained youthful appearance has only made her more determined to vex me.”  
The Cecaelia smiled weakly at her father and raised the cup to her lips. 

Arga’s chambers

“Your Majesty,” Arga greeted as Ariel entered. “I’m ready to leave whenever you and His Majesty deem fit.”  
“We’re going soon,” Ariel replied coolly. “But I wanted to see you alone first.  
Arga frowned questioningly.  
“Majesty?”  
Ariel clasped her hands in front of her.  
“I need to apologise …” she said nervously. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”  
The elder of The Cecaelia’s was so surprised the expression on her face was almost comical.  
“I did what I did because I didn’t want Ursul to kill you,” Ariel explained, pushing onward. “Ursul’s less hot headed than he used to be but …”  
“You want a friend?” Arga guessed.  
“I don’t trust anyone here,” Ariel admitted quickly. “I can’t.”  
Arga was stabbed with disappointment.   
Not a friend then.  
“So you intend to bind me to you so you can keep an eye on me?” she asked. “To help you decide?”  
“I want … I would like to trust you,” Ariel confessed weakly. “I really would.”  
“May I ask why?” Arga inquired.  
Ariel bit her lip. Letting the tender flesh go, she smiled sheepishly, feeling like a coltish teenager all over again.   
“I might be-” she shook her head, creamy cheeks colouring then Without warning her guard shot up again and she was an unapproachable ice Queen once more.   
“We have to go,” she told Arga curtly. “Ursul’s ready.”

The Leviathan, the main chamber

“Settle in my dears,” Ursul told Ariel, Arga and her father. “We’re all the top level. Ours on the left. Yours on the right.”   
As soon as the others were out of earshot, The Witch sought Ariel’s hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing her ring.   
“I have a gift for you in our chambers.”  
Ariel tried not to wince.   
She had long since told her … husband she didn’t need gifts. He had said, and Ariel was proud she understood this reference because Grim had explained it to her, Cobblers!  
Ursul was quick to promise not to gift anything to her unless it was an official occasion or when they were in private.  
This had been a relief.   
“You’re going to love this,” Ursul told her, tugging her upwards.   
“But I thought-”  
He let her go, waiting and curious.  
“Yes?”  
“Polyps,” Ariel muttered, her cheeks aflame, mentally crossing her fingers. “I thought you would like me to tend to them.”  
“Oh we released them before coming here,” Ursul told her flippantly.   
“What?”  
“Well I had no intention of keeping them after Triton told me I could return to The Palace, wife.”  
Ariel nodded slowly.  
“I see. So when you threatened to put me in the garden …?”  
“That was a scare tactic.”  
“I see,” Ariel said again.   
Ursul reached for her hand again, tugging lightly.  
“Come with me.”

Ursul and Ariel’s chambers

“You wanted to know where your crown was?” Ursul asked as he escorted Ariel into their private chambers. “Perfection takes time … But here we are.”  
He led her to a boulder, situated upon it was a silver circlet, Moonstones, rose quartz decorating the edges, a dark amethyst dead centre.  
“It’s beautiful,” Ariel breathed enchanted, kneeling before it. “Thank you for-”.  
The symbol of her Majesty …. Jumped off the rock and twined around her arm.  
Ariel cried out and leapt off the floor.  
Ursul simply laughed.  
At her.  
“You were expecting a crown?” he chortled, folding his arms across his chest and rocking back and forth. “How very amusing!”  
Ariel, now over her fright, returned to the floor and glared up at him, resisting the urge to thump him.  
“How are people supposed to know I’m Que-Gods!” Ariel yelled as the crown swiftly unwound it’sself from her arm, curling around her head.   
Ursul laughed again.  
“Ursul!” Ariel shouted angrily.  
“Oh come now, Angelfish!” he cried. “It’s a little bit funny, yes?”  
“No!” she yelled incredulously.   
“Calm down, calm down!” Ursul sighed. “All shite aside, it’s becoming, isn’t it? Course it is! Silver’s exquisite on you.”  
Facing the large rectangular mirror in front of her, Ariel was inclined to agree.   
“Thank you for my crown,” she murmured.   
“What’s a Queen without her crown?” Ursul queried, sliding over to float beside her.   
Ariel bowed her head.  
“And the official ceremony?” she asked, staring at the floor.  
Ursul tucked his fingers under her chin so she could meet his gaze.  
“You don’t need one,” he told her, fingers gliding back and forth along her throat, stirring her. “We’ll have all the pomp and circumstance we need when we’re on the surface. Which reminds me. Consider this as payment. Well, first instalment of …”

Ariel & Ursul’s bedchambers

Ariel lay across the clam mattress, absently stroking her crown now curled around her left wrist.  
“Is it alive?” she asked Ursul as he lay beside her, stretching out his appendages.  
“No!” he scoffed, amused and incredulous. “What gives you that idea?”  
“It’s behaviour,” Ariel replied, stroking the metal.   
Ursul snorted.  
“It’s enchanted. Not alive.”  
“I see.” She curled onto her side. “Well … Will you be teaching me how to enchant anytime soon?”  
His brow farrowed as he thought about it.  
“Soonish,” Ursul divulged at last.  
“And that’s …?”  
“Wench, we’ve just gotten home and you want to hit the books already?”  
He wasn’t angry. He was impressed.  
Tired.  
But impressed.  
“I made a promise,” Ariel reminded. “And you don’t want an average Queen, do you?”  
“Trust me wife. You couldn’t be average if your life depended on it,” Ursul mumbled then smothered a yawn.  
Ariel clasped her hands over her belly.  
“If you say so,” she murmured, staring up at the interior of the clam.

Arga’s chambers, bed chamber

Arga gnawed on her bottom lip as she paced.  
Pacing was hardly productive, constructive, but she couldn’t help it.  
“There’s still time,” Arga muttered to herself. “I have six years. There’s still time.”  
Ursul was reining in the least appealing aspects of himself just to keep Ariel from fleeing and openly rebelling against him before he could send her to The Deities.   
“He’s basically trying to outdo Hercules,” Arga murmured sadly. “I know you Ursul. I can read you like a book. The lava you keep so carefully concealed will rise up sooner or later whether you like it or not, you are going to burn her.”

The surface, the beach under The Palace

After putting on the clothes Flotsam had left out for them, Ursul, Ariel and Arga went over the plan for the evening and following morning.   
They were to spend the evening in an abandoned cottage Flotsam had secured for them.  
Just a little before the crack of dawn a carriage would deliver them to The Palace thus fooling anyone into believing that the trio had just arrived from London.   
“It’ll be raining soon,” Ursul mused to Ariel and Arga, pausing in the middle of the rolling surf to stare up at the greyish blue clouds, clad in a simple beige shirt and black pants. “Zeus is in his element.”  
“Rain?” Ariel questioned. “Not a storm?”  
“Consider this your first lesson,” Ursul murmured, moving behind Ariel and slipping his arms around her waist. “Smell the air. Listen to it. What is it telling you?”  
Ariel’s nostrils flared. Before too long her ears picked up the subtle groan of clouds preparing to bless the ground and plants with fresh water.   
“Amazing,” she whispered, a little giddy.  
Ariel allowed herself a fleeting glance in Arga’s direction.  
Wearing the guise of a fellow peasant woman, Arga, human name, Sibylla, was beyond stunning what with her long, wet golden hair flowing free in the wind as it enveloped them.  
Ariel’s heart fluttered.  
‘She’s so beautiful …’  
“Go on ahead of us,” Ursul ordered Arga putting an end to Ariel’s lust filled visualisation. “Build a fire and help yourself to food. We’ll be a while. Take the cloaks and shoes while you’re at it.”  
“Sire,” Arga murmured curtly.  
She took off, racing along the sandy path like an elegant thoroughbred, brown skirt billowing behind her, brown leather satchel containing their belongings bouncing against her side as she ran.  
Shaking the image of herself riding Arga as though the woman were one of Eric’s palfreys out of her mind, Ariel cleared her throat.  
“What are you up to?” she asked Ursul.  
The Cecaelian responded by pressing himself against her bottom, rubbing suggestively.  
“Now?” Ariel was surprised. “Right now?”  
“What are you afraid of?” her mate teased huskily. “Sand getting into your sweet spot?” He licked her cheek. “The rain?”  
Turning around, Ariel reached for Ursul’s arms.  
“If I pick up any kind of nastiness …”  
“I’ll look after you. Come on, precious. Let me put you down.”  
Thunder grumbled above them.  
Ariel hesitated.  
“Chicken …”  
She frowned.  
“What’s a chicken?”  
“Lie with me,” he coaxed sweetly, melodiously. “Right now. You’ll love it, I promise.”  
“Is this another lesson?” Ariel asked, blue eyes searching.  
“Lesson two. And we have the perfect setting.”  
Hesitating only a second longer, Ariel decided she was up for another lesson.   
“You’re going to have to teach me all your tricks,” she said, letting him lower her onto the moist sand.  
“Oh I will,” Ursul promised. He hovered over her, fingers sliding up and down Ariel’s arms. “You can count on me, Goddess.”  
“Oh I’m a Goddess now?” Ariel was amused. “How did I manage that?”  
“You’re very, very talented,” Ursul replied.   
She wanted to laugh.  
“I see. You had better make sure no one comes across us or no amount of brown nosing is going to save you from my wrath.”  
The Witch was delighted.   
“I might just lure us an audience. I do love a thorough spanking!”  
Ariel glared up at him.  
“Oh don’t be so pedantic, wench!” Ursul chastised. “No one’s going to see us except the moon and the stars and guess what? The clouds are mostly on our side!”   
She made a frustrated grumble.  
“You’re right …. Just … hurry up!”  
Ursul lay on top of her, cuddling Ariel tightly whilst she wrapped herself around him, shivering as the cold breeze and even colder water sloshed over them.   
He kissed and licked her face. She tried to kiss him back but the intrusive knives of ice tore into her skin, ruining the moment.  
“C-cold,” Ariel muttered.  
“Don’t fight it,” Ursul told her. “Relax into it. It isn’t cold.”  
Shivering, Ariel pressed herself into him, whimpering fretfully.  
“I’m not being funny. I-I’m really cold,” she insisted.  
Ursul pushed her back, effectively pinning her to the muddy earth.   
“You are not cold,” he told her firmly.  
Ariel bared her teeth. They chattered, nearly tearing into her lip.  
“I-I am-m-m fre-freezing!” she objected angrily.   
“Do you want to be freezing?” Ursul demanded. “I suspect not! You are not cold!”  
What in the ocean was he on about?  
“Urs-”  
“You are not cold!”  
Frightened, Ariel scratched him. She bit and kicked him. She bucked and twisted. She begged him to let her up.  
The Witch refused to move.  
“It’s all in your mind,” he told her, unyielding. “You are not cold!”  
All in the mind … All in the mind …   
There was only one thing she could do.  
Panting, the young Queen slammed into the water and beige mud. Her wobbly hands fell to her sides  
‘I’m not cold, I’m not cold, I’m not cold!’  
Water sloshed and rain splattered. Ariel’s entire body screamed in outrage, in pain, shuddering feverishly, wanting up and away.  
Taking a deep, painful breath, Ariel closed her eyes.  
‘I’m fine! I am fine! I’m fi-’  
Her eyes flew open.  
Blessed warmth swept through her cold ravaged body, starting at the tips of her toes and shooting right up to the very tips of the hairs on her forehead.  
“I’m warm,” Ariel breathed. “Gods … Gods! I’m actually warm!” She looked up at Ursul, shock written all over her face. “Was that really lesson two?”   
He pulled her to her feet.  
“Yes, dear girl, it was.”  
Ursul wasn’t going to apologise for being a hard task master. She didn’t expect it nor did she want it.   
‘No one should molly coddle a Queen anyway,’   
“How did that-” she made a gesture with her hand. “How did any of this work?”  
Ursul being Ursul was more than happy to oblige her with an answer.  
“By letting the elements, earth, wind and water flow through you,” he explained, the wind picking up his black hair. “By submitting to them. Turns out they quite like you.”  
Ariel let out another short, shocked laugh.  
“Thanks … I think,” she managed.  
He offered her his arm.  
“Shall we?”  
Ariel hesitated.  
“Three’s pending,” Ursul told her simply. “You can rest without worry tonight. If it helps I don’t intend to spring another trap on you anytime soon.”  
“Why did you spring it in the first place?” Ariel asked guardedly, folding her arms across her chest.  
“To see if you could fly, Goddess,” Ursul replied simply. “And you soared.”  
The Queen hugged herself, debating.  
He waited.  
“I want a warning next time,” Ariel said finally.   
She marched over, ignoring the arm he offered.   
“This isn’t self-defence,” Ariel lectured, hand on her hip. “You want to teach me? Fine! But I deserve to know what to expect.”  
“Whatever pleases, my Queen!” Ursul replied not in the least offended by her ire. “Off we go! There’s only so much cold weather we can handle!”  
Ariel stared at him incredulously.  
“Now you tell me?” she cried.  
“Make haste, wench!” Ursul urged reaching behind her and smacking her rear. “Otherwise your wench is going to stuff herself and we’ll have to go fishing!”  
Ariel glanced nervously at the grey, angry sea.   
“I’m not going fishing in that,” she said. “Lead the way.”

The cottage, a bedchamber

After a modest feast of dried meat, strong cheese, bread and red wine, the trio retired upstairs for the evening.  
“Only one room?” Ariel asked, not even bothering to conceal her sarcasm. “And no changing screen?”  
“I won’t look.” Ursul teased as he conjured up a fire.  
“Can you give us a minute?” Ariel asked Arga who was taking out their night clothes. “You can change downstairs in private.”  
Leaving the satchels and silk shifts and shirt on the bed, the elegant blond gave her a thankful look then took off with her own night clothes in hand.  
Ursul snorted.  
“Spoil sport.”  
“Please stop teasing her,” Ariel murmured, combing knots out of her fiery tresses, watching her pseudo sister continue her flight down the stairs. “She isn’t the pawn here.”  
“Well if she isn’t, who is?” The Witch parried.  
The Queen fought the urge to bare her teeth and hiss at him.  
“Arga is mine. Just like Flotsam and I are yours,” she reasoned coolly. “I hardly think any of us are going to forget that anytime soon.”  
The Sea Witch rose to his full height.  
“Well I haven’t seen you showing that wretch that she is yours,” he countered.  
“Taking away Arga position as a novice was enough,” Ariel maintained. “If I have to discipline her again I will, but only if I have to.”  
“As Her Majesty wishes,” Ursul mocked. “She’s your palfrey, sweetie. I already have the best filly in the stable standing right in front of me.”  
Ariel wasn’t buying it.  
“I know what you’re like,” she reminded, setting her comb down. “You have an agenda. You always do.”  
Seeing this as an invitation, The Witch held out a hand.  
Having done with her hair, Ariel rose from her seat and took it, letting him pull her close enough she could feel his breath on her face and neck.  
“So what am I up to right now?” Ursul purred.  
He was up to so, so many things.  
Then she saw it.  
‘I’ll start with the obvious,’  
“I’m guessing you’ll be poking something other than the fire tonight?” Ariel replied.  
Cupping her bottom, Ursul tilted his head to a side.  
“Am I really that predictable?”  
Ariel smiled and placed her own hand on his hip.  
“I can see your cock, Ursul.”

ooOoo

Lush was the mouth that descended upon Ariel’s white, trembling body. Lush, hot and smooth. It caressed her skin and pressed against Ariel’s rising and falling Adam’s apple whilst she writhed and panted in his clutches.   
Words passed through Ursul’s lips. Wicked words. Words bathed in a soft deepness that wrapped around Ariel’s mind like a thick, black cloak.  
He will never let her go he promises. She will always belong to him. Ursul The Sea Witch.  
Closing her eyes, Ariel relaxed into the rug beneath them, waiting for Ursul to enter her.   
It was not long till she was crying out in wicked, wild abandon. Her paramour’s ardent lips kissed her. His lean, warm hands stroked her lithe body.  
“You will never stop being mine,” Ursul promised as he surged inside her. “Lover girl down there may own your heart but I will always own you both body and soul!”

oOo

It could have been hours later when Ursul pulled away from Ariel, panting heavily.  
“Well now that we’ve christened the room, I daresay it’s off to bed for us, eh?”  
Ariel moaned sleepily, arms hooked around his neck, her legs loosely wrapped around his waist.  
“I can’t move,” she mumbled, laughing weakly. “Too tired.”  
“I suppose I can waddle to the bed for the two of us,” Ursul murmured.   
He had ploughed Ariel’s fields on the rug near the fireplace, practically tearing the dusty, smelly thing to pieces during a particularly satisfactory orgasm.   
Gods, her fanny was as divine as her mouth. His member was as limp as a boned fish.  
Pun intended.  
“Mmm, bed hair,” Ariel mumbled.   
“Your hair’s fine,” Ursul assured as he lowered them down, spooning around her. “Nothing that can’t be perfected by Arga tomorrow.” Ursul pulled the furs and blankets over them. “Go to sleep, wife.” He kissed the side of her head. “We need to beat Apollo in the morning, remember?”

OoO

“Let me take her place.”  
Coiled around Ariel, Ursul lazily opened his eyes, focusing his grey gaze on the former novice lying in the bed opposite theirs.  
He had seen this coming. It had been there in the back of his mind, itching like a flea.  
“I’m going to say no,” The Witch drawled, chin resting atop Ariel’s head. “But I am curious … Your reason as to why I should allow such a thing is intriguing, possibly entertaining. So pray, shoot.”  
“You already know. But I’ll humour you. She’s an innocent.”  
Cuddling Ariel closer, Ursul let out a low chuckle.  
“An innocent. Now that is amusing,” he mocked.   
“It’s the truth.”  
“Young lady, you have no idea of what she is and what she’s capable of. What she and I are capable of.”  
“I’m afraid I’ll never get the chance because this woman will die,” Arga replied. “I’m stronger than she is because I’m a pureblood. I’ve been training for this ever since you approached me and my father on the matter. Send me to The Deities and let her go, Ursul, please! You don’t need Triton’s daughter, you don’t need any of them, not when you have me.”  
“You soiled yourself in their eyes when you admitted you were in love with my mate,” Ursul countered silkily, combing tapered fingers through Ariel’s crimson locks. “Vessels can’t love.”  
“But she-”  
“The ears of Cupid haven’t heard her. They heard you and we all know what a tittle tale Cupid is. Had you possessed foresight to keep those lips of yours compressed I might have gone ahead with my original plan regardless. Tis no good now.”  
“Your original plan?” Arga probed.  
“You as the new world vessel.”  
The younger Cecaelia wanted to be sick.  
“Then this … It’s all my fault,” she whispered.  
Ursul made a pitying noise.  
“Fear not,” he placated airily. “I’ll not punish you. My girl here is slow to forgive and every Queen needs a Lady in waiting, wouldn’t you agree former bed warmer?”  
Arga winced.  
“Please!” The Sea Witch scoffed. “She’s hardly in a positon to hear that. And give her some credit! Our beauty here may yet survive.”  
Ariel suddenly shuddered, whimpered and writhed in Ursul’s arms.  
Fearful she was reacting to the discussion, Arga clammed her mouth shut.  
“Shh,” Ursul soothed. “All’s well.” He took Ariel’s hand, pushing her thumb into her mouth. “She’s having a nightmare. This helps.”  
“What plagues her dreams?” the former novice dared to ask.  
Ursul cooed as another whimper escaped Ariel.  
“Triton,” he whispered when the agitation had died down, “Eric. Us.”  
“Us?”  
“She’s afraid of loving either of us. Fear is a pretty good enforcer for silence.”  
Arga ignored the jibe.  
“Afraid because she knows about you and I?”  
Ursul rolled his eyes.  
“Goodness me you’re a funny one!” he quipped. “She doesn’t and she needn’t. Our fucking was when we were both in our tweens. Practically centuries ago.”  
“Then what is she afraid of …?” It dawned on her. “Ariel wants to be with me.” She rested her cheek against her hands. “And knowing you … You’re going to make me fight you for her?”  
“Yesss …. Or maybe I’ll be charitable and let you two have at it? I wager you’re just busting to go for a ride right now?”  
“She needs to rest,” Arga muttered angrily. “We have a long day tomorrow.” Angry, confused and, if she were being honest, fearful, the object of Ariel’s affection rolled over, facing the wall and pressing her knees together. 

OOOooOOO

After breaking their fast on fruit and bread, Ariel and Ursul went upstairs to wash and dress.  
“The carriage will be arriving before Apollo even thinks about lighting up the sky. We’d best don on our kit quickly,” Ursul told Ariel, lighting candles around the chamber. “Wash thoroughly otherwise they’ll think something’s amiss,” Sitting on the table, he pulled on his shoes, wrinkling his nose, adding. “One fouled cunny and we’ll be kicked out of The Palace.”  
“I have to put up with another corset, don’t I?” Ariel grumbled, glaring balefully at the hateful contraption Arga had spread out on the bed beside her cloak and travelling dress.  
“Only till they’re out of season, glorious,” Ursul replied and rose off his chair, speedily buttoning his black and violet waist coat. “Can’t see those things lingering for too much longer.” Ursul winked at her. “And I’ve squeezed you much, much tighter.”  
Folding her robe, Ariel couldn’t help but let a tiny, knowing smirk touch her lips.  
“Touché,” she murmured.

OoOoO

After bolting down an apple, Arga finished dressing in her London travelling finery then set about helping Ariel prepare.  
She arrived just in time, to see Ariel cursing, wincing and shivering as she scrubbed under her arm pits.  
Dressed in only her clingy, white night shift, the woman who had captured her heart was glorious in her human form.   
Long arms, all slender and snow white. fiery tresses tumbling over a lean back and a mouth so soft and red Arga ached to dash across the chamber floor and explore it with her tongue.  
All the human society tick boxes were ticked.   
Ariel and Ursul would be the one of the most envied couples at The Palace.  
“Majesty,” Arga said, sweeping the thoughts to a side. “I’m here to help you with your hair and dress.”  
Ariel looked up at her, embarrassed and smiling nervously.  
“I forgot the hot water spell,” she admitted waspishly.   
The blond smiled in return, hoping to reassure the skittish creature.  
“We can keep that between us,” she said then nodded to the bottles and jars on the table near the window. “Are you ready?”  
Ariel looked from the scents, creams and powders to the dreaded corset.  
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she mumbled.  
“Have a seat,” Arga invited, gesturing at an uninviting wooden chair. 

oOoOo

“It doesn’t need to be too tight,” Arga told Ariel as she pulled at the strings. “It’s The Duchess who needs the thinnest waist, not you.”  
“Thank The Gods for that,” Ariel muttered then winced again as she resumed her seat.  
After giving Ariel’s face the once over, Arga stepped back, nodding her approval..  
“All done. Just the outer garments, shoes, hat and veil to do now.”  
“I can’t forget, my potion for my voice,” Ariel said wearily. “Ursul was all for ripping my voice out again but I convinced him masking it would work. Even if Eric hears it, nothing’s going to happen.”  
“Your potion is …” Arga’s brow furrowed as she ferreted through the satchel. “Right here.” She handed the thin blue vial to Ariel. “I’ll get you some wine to wash the taste out. Be back in a few. Ursul’s hidden the bottles lest someone pinches them.”

The Palace, The Palace courtyard

Stepping out of the carriage, Ariel allowed herself a few seconds to glance around behind her veil.  
It was still …. The Palace.  
And yet she felt nothing.  
“Sister?”  
The Queen met her … sister’s aqua gaze and smiled tentatively.   
“I’m fine, Sibylla” Ariel rasped, taking Ursul’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Palace hallway leading to Ariel and Arga’s chambers

Grim had taken it upon himself to escort them to their chambers, telling the “weary” travellers they needed ample rest after such a horribly arduous journey.   
“A private luncheon will be served at one in The Presence Chamber,” he told the man and women as he led them along a hallway. “Ah. Ladies. Your humble abode. Lady Ariel,” he opened the door and pointed to the door on the right. “your chamber till you and Sir Lars wed. Lady Sibylla,” he pointed to the door on the left. “your chambers are as indicated. Now Sir Lars, if you will follow me, please. Her Grace has asked for your chambers to be closer to hers. We’ll be going upstairs. I daresay sibling love is lovely ...”

The Palace kitchens

“Why hello gorgeous! Long time, no see!”  
Being in the midst of cutting up carrots for a stock, Carlotta got such a fright she nearly chopped off a finger.  
“Oh Sir Lars!” she gasped, hand on her chest. “I-I didn’t see you!”  
“Oh just arrived dearest! Just arrived!” Ursul clapped his hands. “Now! Are you game for a spot of Rompy Pompy? We can pick up where we left off!” 

Vanessa’s chambers

“Who do you need me to kill?” Flotsam asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.  
“Not kill,” Ursul replied. “Fuck. Are you in pup yet?”  
“Agess ago. He iss sso easssy to get into bed.” Flotsam informed with a grin. “Goesss off like a volcano! I will be announcing a pregnancy sssoon after we conssummate this marriage!”   
“Good boy,” Ursul praised. “Does anyone suspect you’re not remotely maidenly?”  
Flotsam shook his head.  
“The Palace iss literally sssoaked in the potion you made me. They believe whatever we want them to believe.”  
“Perfect. Now shoo. Go back to bed! Mother to be needs her rest and we have weddings to prepare for.”

Ariel and Arga’s chambers

“Can’t sleep either?” Arga asked, seeing Ariel seated by the fireplace, tossing a red and green apple from hand to hand.  
“Too awake to sleep,” Ariel admitted in a whisper.  
“I see.” Arga sat across from her, studying her curiously. “You seem so …”  
Ariel tossed the apple into the bowl, clasped her hands in her lap, waiting.  
Arga laughed, her pretty cheeks aflame.   
“You’re so beautiful,” she said. “But like something caught in a jar or a cage. I want to let you go and take care of you.”  
Ariel felt a pang of annoyance. For the first time, she and Arga had a chance to be alone. To talk. Why was she ruining the …. Whatever!  
“Don’t feel sorry for me,” she whispered. “I’m fine.”  
Sadness and even more pity filled Arga’s stunning aqua eyes.  
Another pang, even sharper than the first stabbed Ariel.  
She didn’t believe her.  
“I’m stronger than I look,” Ariel insisted with more bite than intended.  
Seeing she had overstepped, Arga held up her hands nervously.   
“Sorry,” she appeased uneasily. “I’m tired. I’m not good at self-control when I’m tired. I’ll go and try to get more sleep.”  
The older Cecaelia sprung out of her seat.  
“I’ll see you later … Majesty.”  
“Arga just wait!” Ariel tried to call after her, rising to her feet.   
The blond stopped short. Shoulders slumping in defeat, she sighed and turned to face Ariel.  
“Arga, you claim to love me but you can’t be in a room with me longer than a few seconds,” The Queen whispered. “How is that in any way reasonable? How is it conducive to either of us?”  
“Ursul-”  
She arched an eyebrow.  
“What about Ursul?”  
Arga hesitated.  
“He might frown upon this.”  
Ariel nodded and walked toward Arga. When close enough she reached for the former novice’s hands and squeezed them tightly.  
“He might. But when you think about it. This really is none of his business,” she said and cocked her head to a side. “Is it?”  
Arga smiled weakly.  
“I guess not.”  
Ariel’s smile was stronger.  
“Then it’s settled.”  
After all that was said and done between them, Ariel felt an understanding had, at last been established.  
Squeezing Arga’s hands once more, she leaned in to kiss her.

Ariel’s bedchambers

Chin resting on Arga’s naked shoulder, The young Queen could not help but compare her lover to her husband.  
Ursul enjoyed spooning her from behind so he could bury his face in her neck and hair whilst he slept.  
Arga, alternatively, wanted to lie facing her, cradling Ariel to her chest, kissing and cooing till she drifted off to sleep.   
“Mmm … you’re awake?”  
Ariel smiled and pulled away just so she could beam at her bed fellow.  
“Was I snoring?” Arga asked, reaching out and tucking red tresses behind her ear. “Sorry.”  
“I’m the one who snores,” Ariel laughed. “No. I was just …. This made me so … Thank you. Thank you so much, Arga.” 

Ariel & Arga’s chambers

Humming to herself as she closed the door to Ariel’s chamber, Arga did not see Ursul tending to the fireplace.  
“How was your ride?” The Witch asked, startling his former lover.  
“Gods!” The Cecaelia gasped. “What are you doing here?” she demanded upon recovery. “Ariel’s sleeping! Surely you can’t expect to-”  
Ursul rolled his eyes.  
“Stop being so pedantic!” he snapped and rose to his full height. “I’m not here for her, silly girl!”  
Arga clenched her fists.  
“I’m over a thousand years old!” she reminded with no small amount of ire. “I stopped being a girl a long time ago.”  
“And yet you still have the awareness of a nit wit!” Ursul maintained wryly. “I’m here for you, Arga.”  
She stiffened. Her blood went cold.  
“Are you going to kill me?”  
“I’m advising you. I’ve no interest in ridding you of your life. Your father would hate me. He’s a High Priest, you know?”  
“All joshing aside, you’re the deadliest creature in the ocean,” Arga pointed out warily. “My father’s powers do not surpass yours.”  
“True, but I’m only here to advise you.”  
Arga licked her lips, hesitating.  
“What do you want to advise me on?” she asked finally.  
Back to the fireplace, The Sea Witch stood like a golden God before the flickering flames, slender, masculine arms folded across his white silk clad chest.  
Arga waited.  
“I would advise you to quit this romance you have blossoming with my Queen and find another,” he replaced the poker. “You cannot make her happy. You can make her miserable and fed up, but certainly not happy.”  
“And why not?” she challenged.  
“Past experience,” Ursul said simply. “Why do you think you and I couldn’t last longer than half a century? You don’t want a companion. You want a project. A problem to fix. You have a need to fix people and you always assume the worst,” he finished with. “Ariel doesn’t need that. She isn’t a problem. She doesn’t need to be fixed. Not anymore. That woman knows happiness is up to her. Not those around her.”   
Arga found that a little laughable.   
“Is that what you told Ariel when you forced her to go along with this bloody sherade?”   
She immediately regretted her words. She even thought they’d be her last.  
The look Ursul cast at her was as icy as the wind and rain outside the chamber window.   
“I would never dream of forcing anyone,” he countered with intense fury. “Never!”  
“I never said that you w-”  
“But you implied it, yes?” Ursul demanded, edging closer. “It has been on your mind, yes?”  
Seeing he had found her out, Arga wiped her hair out of her eyes.  
“My apologies,” she murmured, uncomfortable.   
Seemingly satisfied, Ursul backed off.  
“Accepted,” he replied coolly. “But don’t ever accuse me of rape again.”  
“You have my word I won’t,” Arga promised in earnest. “And for what it’s worth … I know you’re nothing like Titan.”  
“This woman is the best thing that has ever happened to either of us,” Ursul told Arga, brushing the comment about the former Sea King to a side. “In time she will be the best thing to ever happen to everyone the portal allows in.”  
Arga swore under her breath, raking a hand through her tousled hair.  
‘Typical,’ she thought bitterly. ’Always brushing your problems under the rocks instead of talking about them …’  
“In the darkest corners of her mind Ariel knows what’s waiting for her just around the corner,” Ursul pushed on. “And she is chomping at the bit.”  
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Arga snipped, fed up. “If you’re so determined to fend off everyone Ariel has a passing liking for why are you allowing this?”  
The Witch was amused.  
“Why am I allowing this?” he scoffed at her. “Well, nitwit! In case it escaped you, this woman is on her way to possibly becoming a Deity. A part of The Divine Family. If Ariel survives their tests. I’ll not be knitted to just a Queen and Witch. I’ll be joined to a Goddess.”  
“So you will obey Ariel’s every whim just to remind her that you’re a good little soldier?” Arga hissed scathingly. “You’re not being conducive to anyone but yourself! You’re not aiding Ariel, you’re controlling her!”  
“And you know what happens to us all if we cannot get out!” Ursul growled in return. “Mayhap I am holding a rope. Mayhap I am a villain. But at least I do not pity her. At least I encourage her. At least I make her fight! Mind how you go, my dear. She’ll tire of your eyes and one day she’ll burn them out.”  
“I pray she burns yours out first,” Arga snarled. “You odious son of a-”.  
“Something wrong?”  
Both Cecaelia and Cecaelian swung around.  
Ariel was standing in the doorway of her chamber, blue eyes wary.  
“Just a little tiff over your dress for the luncheon,” Arga supplied, beating Ursul to it. “I think blue. Ursul thinks gold. Would you like some tea before we get ready? Draw you a bath perhaps?”  
“Both please,” Ariel murmured, watching her lover scurry for the bell, some amusement in her eyes. “Oh. I’m wearing green and gold, Arga. I want something loose fitting. It’s going to be hot today so be gentle with the corset.”  
Arga dipped her head.  
“I see,” she said coolly and reached for the bell.  
Plucking an apple from the fruit bowl, Ariel sat down beside her mate.  
“Anything I should know about?” she asked before biting into it.   
Ursul felt his nostril’s quiver as he caught her scent.  
‘Cheeky minx,’ he teased, adding aloud just so Arga could hear him. “I daresay you two had fun.”  
Knowing what he was up to and losing her appetite in the process, Ariel tossed the apple into the fire.  
She scowled up at him.  
‘Back off!’ she warned.  
Ursul couldn’t resist.  
‘Does she like it-’   
Ariel bared her teeth.  
‘I said back off!’ 

The Presence Chamber

“I was hoping for Crown Princess,” Ursul growled as he, she and Arga helped themselves to port, waiting for Eric and Vanessa to emerge. “Goodness knows Flotsam’s capable enough.”  
“I think that title goes to their children,” Arga pointed out, fanning herself. “Flotsam doesn’t have immediate land Royalty in his blood.”  
“Well I hope Eric and his people are amply prepared for an army of brats my boy’s going to bestow upon them,” Ursul seethed, his annoyance hardly  
appeased. “They’d better be Royalty! Enchanting a sodding uterus, let alone making a uterus, isn’t exactly easy you know!”

OoO

“Heavens be praised! I’m starved beyond words!” The Duchess breathed to her affianced as soon as the official introduction was over.  
It was only a casual luncheon but the family and Grim insisted that Eric and his Duchess be introduced, officially, wherever they went.   
Too much but whatever. Ursul had said no arguing. Just shag, have sons. Head in the pillow, fanny up for the cock.  
Easy peasy.  
With the grace of a swan, Vanessa daintily plucked a glass of canary off a tray and glided over to Ariel, her brother and Ariel’s newfound sister.  
“You look radiant, sister!” she gushed over Ariel after greeting her sibling, kissing both cheeks. “I can see my brother has been taking excellent care of you.”  
Ariel wished her veil was still hiding her face. The blush on her cheeks was just too, too embarrassing.  
Dropping her head, she curtsied quickly.  
“And this must be your long lost sister!” Vanessa said missing Ariel’s fluster. “Lars told me so much about you in his letters! Sibyl, yes?”  
“Sibylla, Your Grace,” Arga corrected politely, performing a gorgeous curtsy. “It is an honour to meet you. Thank you for looking after my Ariel.”  
Arga’s “Ariel” allowed herself a fleeting sidelong glance at Ursul.  
His rose tainted lips seemed to twitch in amusement.   
She relaxed.  
Slightly.  
“Your angel of a sibling has brought my brother so much joy and they’re not even wed yet! How could I not adore her?” Vanessa cried happily. “Now I must insist you call me sister what with my poor Ingrid still missing I fear I am really quite bereft!”  
“I have never seen her so upset,” Eric added, holding the enchanting brunette close to him.  
“I will endeavour to do whatever I can to ease any discomfort,” Arga promised. “You both saved my sister from grave peril therefore it is only right I should serve you.”  
More gushing would have been done but Grimsby and Carlotta stepped in to report that luncheon was ready and that The King and his Queen had decided to retire till late afternoon therefore they would not be joining them.  
The dining room  
With all the gossiping and laughter happening around her, Ariel was lost in her own world.   
She had done it.  
Today she had been in Eric’s presence. He had spoken to her, kissed her hand. And during the entire time …. She had felt nothing.   
Well apart from pride that she was no longer head over heels, fins, infatuated with him and could conduct herself like a high born land woman should in his presence.   
She had certainly felt that.  
And there was Arga. None of this would have been possible it weren’t for her.  
Giddy, Ariel quickly plucked a glass of port off the table, making sure no one was looking, allowed herself a less than ladylike mouthful.   
‘I think I’m in love!’ she announced to herself excitedly. ‘I’m in love!’

Ursul’s chamber

After shooing his manservant away, Ursul cracked his knuckles and strode over to his chest.   
Opening it, The Cecaelian pulled back the heavy fawn cloth.  
“Hello darlings,” he greeted peering inside. “We have work to do.”

OoO

Concentrating on the floating amethyst, jet and clear crystal tumblers, Ursul was not his confident self.  
“Let’s see who’s going to kill me this time,” he murmured wearily.  
The black crystal gleamed a little brighter as it hovered loftily in the centre.  
The Witch smiled weakly.  
“No negative thoughts, thank you lovely.”  
Removing a white and dark opal decorated dagger from his coat pocket, Ursul gently ran the silver blade over his wrist.   
He sighed as human hued blood seeped from the wound.   
“Here you go, Hecate,” Ursul invited. “Have at it.” He reached for the clear crystal and grasped the cold tumbler. “Show me my plight as you did before,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. “So mote it be ...”

Ariel and Arga’s chambers

“So to save themselves from hangover complaints, any tying of the knot has been pushed back till the following week,” Ursul told Ariel and Arga   
“I don’t mind waiting,” Ariel whispered.  
“Yes, well, good for you madam!” her mate snapped as he straightened out his cravat. “But might I remind you we both have an appearance underwater to maintain!”   
Arga stepped forward.  
“There’s no need to-”  
Ariel stopped her with a glare.  
“Be quiet!” she warned in a hiss.   
Arga dropped her head to her chest and stepped back.  
“I spoke out of turn, Majesty,” she murmured, eyes downcast. “Forgive me.”  
“Get my riding habit,” Ariel told her, softening. “I’m not driving myself mad waiting for a wedding.”  
Arga clearly couldn’t help herself.  
“But the seamstress said that we-”  
“You’re questioning your Queen now?” Ursul mocked. “Amazing. I suppose you’re going to challenge her to a dual, are you Arga? Pistols or swords, hmm?”  
“No I-”  
“Just get it!” Ariel snapped, wishing the woman had kept her trap shut. “Look. I’m going for a ride to save what’s left of my sanity. Not up for discussion. Now do either of you want to come with me or do you want to be cooped up in here all day?”  
“I hate land horses,” Arga mumbled. “They’re big and scary and they smell. I’ll help you get ready then see if I can help with wedding preparations.”  
Saying that she “slunk” away.  
Ariel swallowed a yell of frustration and returned her attentions to her mate who was turning up his nose up at their curtains.   
“One would think given the amount of coin and connections we’re giving Princie Pooh he and his family would invest in nicer curtains.” He let the fabric go and sighed wistfully. “Such a waste.”  
Ariel drifted over, quietly demanding his attention.  
“Forget about the curtains,” she said. “Forget about the delay. I think you and I could benefit from a ride.”  
“Do you just?” he demanded. “Are you inviting me because the help got her corset in a twist?”  
Ariel scowled.  
“That wasn’t fair but I’ll ignore it. Come for a ride with me. That way you’ll return a less angry, a lot less distracted …”  
She stepped away, holding his gaze.  
He smiled at her.  
It wasn’t a strong one.   
But it was a smile.  
“And you don’t know how to ride,” he taunted lightly.  
Ariel grinned impishly, embarrassed.  
‘I don’t know how to ride,” she admitted, blushing.

Palace stables

“I think this young lady will do nicely,” Ursul murmured pausing by the box of a handsome blood bay mare.  
“She’s one of Eric’s,” Ariel pointed out.   
The Witch grinned back at her mischievously.   
“You catch on quick, wife.”  
“Are we really going to do this?” she asked reluctantly as Ursul summoned a groom. “It’s Eric’s horse.”  
“Twas your idea.”  
“It was. But not with Eric’s horse.”  
“It’s a lovely day,” her mate told her deciding to add a sweetner all the while fiddling with a piece of straw. “I’d wager we can spend a maximum of three hours before we have to return to being poked and prodded by needles.”  
Ariel was sold on three hours without needles.  
“It’s a fantastic idea and we really should go through with this,” she whispered enthusiastically.  
Ursul grinned.  
“That’s my girl!” he praised jovially.

The forest

Ariel was petting the mare as she drank from a stream, whilst recovering from Ursul’s idea to fuck her up against a particularly splintery tree, whilst he explored the cave valley ahead of them.  
“How’s your bottom/” The Witch called from above.  
Ariel’s face instantly reddened.  
‘It’s fine!’ she angrily yelled back in her head.  
“Good! Good!”  
Chortling, The Witch continued his exploration.   
It wasn’t long before he saw something that gave him an idea.  
Twas a wood nymph’s lair.

The Palace, Ariel and Arga’s chambers

“Lady Ariel, we’ve been waiting for you for five whole minutes!” the seamstress scolded and went all aquiver when she saw what had kept her charge. “Oh my!” she gushed. “My Lord! Begging your pardon. I had no idea-”  
“Pardon me good woman. I wanted some time alone with my wife to be,” Ursula informed as he took the woman’s hand and kissed it. “She’s so lovely, I’m sure you’ll understand.”  
Behind their backs, Ariel and Arga rolled their eyes.  
Just typical.  
“Well … Thank you for returning her, Sir Lars. Now if you’d be so kind. There is much to do before either big day! Much to do!”  
Ursul bowed and with a wink at Ariel, took his leave of them.

Vanessa’s chambers, a week later

“Rose water!” Vanessa cried angrily. “I told you to bring me rose water!”  
The servant shrunk back in fear.   
“So-sorry You-Your Gra-Grace!” she stammered.   
“Goodness knows I would be better off doing my own preparations!” Vanessa continued to rage. “This is a state affair you little wart! I said rose water! Not sodding Daphne! Now stop crying and fetch me the fucking scent I asked for! At this rate my ladies will be ready before I am!”  
“Your Grace!” the girl bolted like a spooked rabbit in search of the scent bottle.  
All alone and leaning against the bed post, the human covered eel sighed tiredly and reached for her glass of brandy.  
“Here’sss to the resst of my life!” he toasted woefully then downed the glass in one gulp. “I’m sssurounded by idiotsss!”  
There was a knock at the door.  
Clearing his throat, Flotsam replaced the empty glass and straightened himself.  
“Come,” he ordered grandly.

The Ballroom

Everyone was relaxing in the ballroom.   
Ariel ignored the conversing all around her, lost in her own world once again.   
She had watched the wedding unfold with an increasingly familiar sense of detachment.   
Eric, the man she had deemed her one true love, married another woman and she had looked on with barely a care in the world.   
The aria she had sung for him was well and truly gone.   
She really didn’t love him anymore.  
“Are you alright, sister?”  
Ariel looked in Arga’s direction and smiled.  
“Fine,” she mouthed.  
Arga looked over her shoulder then quickly to her left and right.  
Confused, Ariel frowned at her.  
“What is it?” she mouthed.  
The blond stepped forward, reaching for Ariel’s hand and squeezing it.   
“It must be hard,” she said. “I guess Ursul couldn’t help you prepare after all …”  
Ariel shook her head.  
“What are you talking about?” she whispered.  
“Seeing Eric with Flotsam … Knowing you’ve lost Eric for good. Ariel … I really can’t imagine-”  
Something red and hot rushed through Ariel’s veins.   
“Don’t pity me!” she rasped as she ripped her hand away.   
Her weak attempt at loud ferocity could have easily been a slap in the face. Arga instantly backed off, her own face ashen and alarmed.  
“Sorry,” she whispered. “Ariel I really am sorry. I was only trying to-”  
No just no!  
Ariel snatched up a decanter.   
“Leave me alone!” she spat and stormed off.  
Pushing past guests, hoping Ursul and Flotsam wouldn’t notice, Arga muttered apologies in adjacent to swear words and shot off in pursuit.

Outside Ariel bed chambers

“She’s clearly been drinking and is in hysterics! She threw our chamber pot at my head when I tried to reason with her!”  
“Of course she did,” Ursul told Arga and nodded at Ariel’s bed chamber door. “She told you to leave her alone and you ignored her.”  
“I was only trying to-”  
“Help?” Ursul quipped.   
Arga stopped short, staring at his back.  
“Well yes …”   
The Witch couldn’t help but pivot around and taunt her.   
“Ho, ho and ho!” he cried. “That’s hilarious! Weren’t you listening, Arga? You can’t help her. She has to learn how to help herself!”  
Arga clenched her fists and bit her lip.  
“Now you had better shoo. I’ve got this,” Ursul ordered loftily. “Tell Carlotta that you two had a spat. You believe Ariel needs to cool off. She won’t be attending the consummation. I’ll find you when I’m done with damage control.”  
Arga didn’t like this.  
“But that could raise questions and-”  
“Must I say it in another language?” Ursul groaned quite exasperated. “Leave her alone!”

Ariel’s bedchambers

“I see your pet has made a mountain out of a molehill,” Ursul drawled as he sauntered toward Ariel. “You’re not hysterical. You’re not even drunk.”  
Ariel glowered at him.  
“I’ve run out of things to throw,” she mumbled.  
“Alas, the poor chamber pot.” Ursul wagged a finger at her. “Tsk, tsk. You naughty, naughty girl.”  
He repaired the brutally smashed pot with barely a snap of his fingers and sat beside Ariel on the bed.  
“What brought this on?”   
The younger Cecaelia tried to change the subject.  
“You’ll have to teach me that trick.”  
“Next month. What brought this on?”  
Ariel huffed and turned her head away.  
“Ah. No you don’t.” Trapping her chin with his fingers, Ursul made her look at him. “What happened?”  
“Everything was going well,” Ariel mumbled after some time. “And then … Arga mentioned Eric getting married. Me losing him … She pities me. I could see it in her eyes.”   
Ariel pulled her chin away from Ursul’s fingers, letting it rest on her knees.   
“I won’t do it again.”  
“You will do it again. Ever since we’ve arrived you’ve had Eric rubbed in your face almost every second of the day. It’s only logical you trip.”  
Ariel stiffened.  
“I am telling you the truth,” Ursul insisted. “Arga’s fussing has hurled you over a precipice but you can recover. Swallow it, dust yourself off and move on.”  
“I thought I was,” The Queen murmured sadly. “Moving on I mean.”  
“You are. And nicely too.”  
“But I still have a lot to learn.”  
Ursul reached out, rubbing Ariel’s lower back in a circular motion.  
“You need to accept that it’s a work in progress. This isn’t a failure. This was expected. Learn from it and move on.”  
Pausing, The Witch kept his hand in the middle of Ariel’s back.  
Squeezing her eyes shut, she stiffened again, bracing herself.  
This was going to hurt.  
“You are my protégée. You are my mate and you my Queen. Soon you will rule over every aspect of this ocean by my side until our eternity is over. As per our agreement, when in the ocean your focus is here with me. On land, feel free to love whomever you wish but under the understanding that you will always be mine upon your return. Remember that if not you, I’m looking at your sisters.”  
She shuddered.  
“Now I definitely need a drink.”   
Ursul wordlessly handed her the decanter.  
Ariel allowed herself several hefty gulps of the expensive port. The liquid burned her throat as it went down, causing her to gasp and cough.  
Ursul thumped her back.  
“You can recover from this,” he said, voice insistent. “You are stronger than you think.”  
Ariel handed him the bottle.  
“I don’t need anymore,” she mumbled.  
Ursul flung his head back and downed the remnants in one go.  
Ariel stared at him, aghast.  
“I’m never going to wrap my head around you, am I?” she whispered.  
“I’ll take that as a-” he belched and rubbed his belly. “Compliment.”  
Ariel rolled her eyes.  
“You can do whatever you want,” she muttered shaking her head.  
Ursul snorted.  
“Melodramatic wench!” he growled. “Come here!” He pulled her to him, cradling her in his arms, moulding her to him. “Say it.”  
Ariel shook her head.  
“I don’t want to.”  
Ursul was merciless.  
“Say it,” he ordered, stroking her hair.  
A tear seeped down Ariel’s cheek.  
“Why did I agree to this?” she croaked.  
Her mate didn’t answer her. Not because he didn’t know the answer himself.  
Ursul knew what the answer was and, if truth were told, so did she.  
Ariel wanted power and was willing to do whatever she could to get it. Oh for sure, she had always maintained she wasn’t power hungry and to an extent, this was true, Ursul would always surpass her. But what was also true was that Ariel had learned in order to be unburdened by patriarchy, by land or sea, she needed strength. Not just physical but strength of wit. Ursul had been giving her both. Not allowing her to be knitted to Eric and binding her semi permanently to him had been the first few steps.   
“You will know soon enough my Goddess,” The Witch promised as Ariel gave into her heart break and allowed herself to weep. “Just be patient.”

Ariel and Arga’s chambers

It was the morning after the wedding. No one had been devoid of; you guessed it, a hangover. Therefore the fair Lady Ariel’s union to the gallant and ever so noble Sir Lars had to wait.  
Ursul was peeved to say the least whereas Ariel, still smarting from Arga’s lack of tact and the unwanted heartbreak over Eric, had decided she was on a mission to punish her servant, make her think twice before expressing her feelings so freely again.  
“I want you to think about me in my wedding dress,” she whispered to Ursul in the middle of his tirades.  
“Me and who else, Mon ami?” her mate growled throatily, odd coloured eyes burning.  
From the corner of her own eye, Ariel saw Arga watching them whilst trying not to look like she was watching them.   
She smirked on the other side of her face.  
“Everyone,” Ariel told Ursul. “I want everyone from ant to Royal thinking about me in that dress. They can’t do that if the dress isn’t perfect, can they? So we behave ourselves. We amuse ourselves and we wait a little bit longer ...”  
Whether her statement had worked it’s magic on Arga or not, Ariel hadn’t a clue. The woman was very good at keeping her inner thoughts concealed and, right now, she could only focus on her husband.  
Ursul considered Ariel’s words then reached for her hand.  
“Stay and keep an eye on things,” he told Arga, tugging Ariel towards the open doorway. “We’ll be back before too long”  
“But the seam-”  
“She’s not The Goddess of us all!” Ursul replied, continuing to drag Ariel. “Toodleloo Goldilocks!”

The forest behind The Palace

“I was half expecting to be facing a tree by now,” Ariel remarked as their horse ambled along the leaf strewn pathway.   
The Cecaelian behind her chuckled.  
“No time for that. We have to move quickly otherwise we’ll be too late …”  
“Late for what?” Ariel asked.  
“I can’t be expected to spoil a surprise now, can I?”  
“A surprise?”  
Ursul grinned, patting her belly with his spare hand.  
“Good surprise, my darling girl. Good surprise.”  
The ride continued up a hill, down the hill and across an enthusiastically flowing river.   
When they arrived at a valley of caves, Ursul dismounted, helped Ariel off and tethered their shared blood bay mare to a nearby tree.   
“Let’s go …”  
The Witch hesitated.  
Ariel looked from one cave to the other, waiting for whatever her mate planned to show her.  
Ursul began to hum. Not exactly the nicest sound in the world. It was deep, masculine. Nothing beautiful or gay about it.  
Before Ariel could say anything snide about the less then pleasant noise she got a tremendous fright.   
A woman emerged from the pitch black opening of one of the caves. A short, slender green skinned creature with black hair and brown eyes.  
“Thou hast summoned thee?” she frowned at Ursul. “Why ten legged King?”  
Ursul reached for Ariel’s hand, bringing her to his side.  
“My Queen needs a home,” he explained. “A place to conduct her work when she is on land. A place where she is protected from evils.”  
“Thy ten legged Queen is young,” the nymph murmured, giving Ariel a thoughtful look. “Not even close to the thousands of years you boast. And … not wholly of the ten to six legs.”  
“No she isn’t a pure Cecaelia,” Ursul agreed. “but she is worthy of me and I would have you protect her, nymph.”  
The woman’s timeless face was unfathomable.  
“I will grant the half breed Queen a home,” she said finally, no longer seeming to want to speak so formally. “Go to the cottage under The Palace. Pour salt around its exterior, hang tumblers of Jet, Amethyst and clear quartz in each chamber. When you are ready to cast your spells, it will be ready for you.”  
“Bow,” Ursul hissed to Ariel. “Now!”  
Ariel immediately bowed so low her head nearly brushed against the nymph’s dress. When she returned to her full height, she saw that the woman was amused.  
“I like this one,” the nymph commented.   
“She is strong,” Ursul replied.  
“I agree. Quite determined to rise to her full potential, Just as her King was. I would have you leave me with your Queen for a while.”   
Ariel paled and inadvertently took a step back.  
The nymph was, again, amused.  
“The Queen is fearful?” she asked.  
“Ye-” Ariel swallowed. “Yes.”  
The green woman smiled.  
“You should be respectful. Not afraid. Come with me, Majesty. Your King will wait outside. This shouldn’t take long …”

oOo

Ariel emerged from the cave pale and dazed, carrying a sack.  
“What happened?” Ursul asked, taking the sack from her.  
The flame haired woman blinked rapidly, rosebud mouth set in a confused gape.  
“I don’t … I can’t ..” she said at last.  
Before Ursul could speak again, the tree beside their horse burst into flames.   
The equine reared and jumped to a side, brown eyes rolling, nostrils flaring.  
“Shit!” Ursul exclaimed.  
He darted over to calm the animal before it could free it’sself and bolt whilst Ariel stared at the tree, shocked at what she’d done.  
“I …”  
The fire disappeared as if nothing had happened.  
“Oh Gods what’s happening?” Ariel whimpered. “What in the ocean-” her face contorted in pain and fear. “Why did you bring me here, Ursul?”  
Having, more or less, settled their mount, The Witch doubled the tightness of its tether. Facing The Cecaelia fully he took a tentative step towards her,  
“Ariel,” Ursul said, holding up his hands. “Ariel …” he swallowed hard. “I want you to listen to me.”  
Terrified, the woman took a step back.  
“No Ariel I want you to listen to me. It’s vital that you listen to me.”  
If she didn’t listen to him there was every chance she was going to either roast him alive or she was going to go pop but he wasn’t going to tell her that.   
“Ariel …” Ursul swallowed hard, willing his terror to go away so he could take control of the situation. “Ariel, I want you to take my hand and come with me. You’ve been given a colossal amount of power. You’re afraid. I want you to take my hand. Let me take you home where I can look after you. I’ll help you manage it. Just let me look after you.”  
Bad choice of words.  
Ariel’s upper lip curled back.  
“Like you’ve looked after me before?” she snarled.  
‘Oh shiiiiittt ….’  
As faeces threatened to foul his pants, Ursul cursed Arga and himself and began to retreat to the horse.  
“Ariel. I’m not you’re enemy,” he insisted. “We’ve been taken for fools. See? Fools! Let me help you. I promise I just want to help.”  
Ariel snarled again.  
What a stroke of luck! The nymph came out from behind Ariel.  
“Be still,” she murmured, putting a hand on Ariel’s arm. “Your mate and I will speak.”  
Continuing to growl, Ariel’s sapphire gaze hardened.   
“I said be still!” the nymph ordered.  
Ariel’s threatening demeanour changed within an instant.   
She was placid as a lamb now.  
Bowing her head, Ariel meekly knelt on the mossy hill, hands clasped in her lap.  
“Good. You will stay there and wait. Nothing more.”  
It was right then and there when Ursul’s fear blended into a furious fire.  
“What have you done?” he barked, staring up at the nymph.  
Perhaps not the wisest thing to do but his prize had been meddled with.   
“If you’re going to dispense waste, Cecaelian, do it behind a tree,” the nymph muttered dryly, moving away from Ariel. “I cannot abide the stink or sight of faeces.”  
The Witch swallowed hard and straightened his shoulders.  
“What have you done to my mate?” he asked.  
The nymph gestured to the cave opening.  
“Go and relieve yourself first. Come inside my domain and we will talk. Don’t fret, Cecaelian. Your Queen will be fine as will your horse.”  
Whether it was a jab or reassurance, Ursul wasn’t sure but the woman added with a small smile.   
“She trusts me.”  
He decided it was a jab.  
“Can I trust you?” he demanded.  
The nymph nodded.  
“You can. We need you alive.”

The nymph’s cavern.

The anger within Ursul could not be held in place.   
As soon as he and his host were out of earshot, The Sea Witch began his verbal assault of the nymph.  
“What have you done to my mate!” he seethed taking a dagger to the woman’s olive throat.  
The nymph was nonplussed.   
“I gave her power. That’s all. Nothing more.”  
“Nothing more!” Ursul cried. “That’s rich! The wench is terrified.”  
This time the woman seemed decidedly uncomfortable.  
“It wasn’t meant to be this way,” she admitted. “But I’ve put a stopper on her. She won’t be able to use her powers unless she’s on land. Even then she’ll be capable of harnessing it. She’s figuring it out now as we speak.” The nymph gave Ursul a slight shrug. “The tree, remember? She fixed it as soon as she realised what she’d done.”  
The tip of the blade brushed against the nymph’s jugular. Not enough to draw blood but enough to cause beads of sweat to seep down the nymph’s forehead.  
Ursul was clearly unconvinced.  
“You know all you had to do was grant my Queen a safe Haven to practice her craft?” he swiped viciously. “But nooo! You had to fill her up with magic she can barely understand let alone be expected to control!”  
“Desperate measures, Cecaelian,” the nymph replied. “Desperate measures.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“It means that it would bode well for you to keep your questions to yourself till we reach my inner chambers. The others are waiting and are eager for you to hear them.”  
Ursul glowered with rage.  
“You do not tell me what to do!” he snarled.  
“Actually I do and I will,” the nymph fired back no longer afraid but fed up. “I could have easily allowed that wench's fear destroy you and herself. I didn’t. Why? I’ll tell you why? We all have an agenda and we need your Queen and we need you to see it through. I would thank you to calm down, sheath you dagger and follow me.”

The nymph’s main chambers

Ursul couldn’t believe what he was seeing.  
Surrounding a large pyre were every non-human land creature imaginable.   
Kelpies, vampires, nymphs, elementals, banshees, were wolves, succubus and incubus and ….  
“Unicorns are real,” he rasped near collapsing.   
“We managed to save some before Prince Eric’s ancestor’s slaughtered them all,” the nymph explained standing between a black and light grey unicorn mare and stallion.   
“Where’s the leprechaun?” he sneered as soon as he had regained his composure.  
“Right here!” a stout man quipped seated upon the sleek light brown back of a centaur.  
Ursul pinched the bridge of his nose.   
“Hell’s bells,” he groaned.  
The nymph clapped her hands.  
“Let’s get this meeting underway,” she commanded. “Ariel’s your key to the ocean Haven. We need her to be ours to the land. Thus, we propose a combination of powers.”   
“Why?” Ursul demanded. “You have your own key surely?”  
“Ours was lost to us,” a palomino centaur replied solemnly. “The humans caught her and destroyed her long ago. We haven’t been able to recreate one since.”  
“Well that sounds like carelessness!” Ursul laughed. “Hardly our problem,”  
“We would marry two portals,” the centaur went on, ignoring the jibe. “When you send this woman to Amphitrite and her spouse we would send her with powers. She’ll stand a better chance.”  
“Well it sucks to be the whole lot of you, doesn’t it?” The Sea Witch leered heartily. “I cannot send Ariel to anyone because you’ve ruined her. Besides, such a thing cannot be accomplished.”  
“Such a thing was never tried!” a satyr fired back.  
“No!” The Sea Witch shouted, his amusement quickly ascending to fear and anger. “No! No! And no! I cannot send her. I will not send her! The Deities will kill her on the spot because she is not pure!”  
“That is not true, is it? You cannot send her because you love this woman?” a faerie interjected. “You said her name six times outside.”  
“Oh piss off!” Ursul snapped. “You brat faced flying imp!”  
“Oi!” several imps cried in protest.  
“Respect Cecaelian,” an ebony maned succubus cautioned. “We need you but we’re not above making things difficult for you. More difficult for you than things are already.”  
“Oh what else can you lot do?” Ursul had his hands on hips now and was glowering at everyone as though he was surrounded by complete and utter fools. “I said the wenches name because I didn’t want her to roast me. I was trying to ground her. That wasn’t love. That’s just being sensible.”  
“And now she’s given her heart to the former novice,” the fae pointed out. “What a wound that must be?”  
Ursul was a tad gleeful now.  
“Just a pinch on my pert arse actually.”  
“This is going nowhere!” the wood nymph called out before the fae could retort. “Ursul, our terms are as follows. As soon as you can, take your Queen and her paramour under the sea. Train Ariel, empower her, retake Triton’s Kingdom. To aid you up here, we will look after Flotsam and The Prince. You can fully concentrate on preparing Ariel for the impregnation without distraction or threat.”  
“Given the amount of fire power you’ve put into her I’m loathe to believe you,” Ursul swiped back. “She’s not going to trust me, nymph!”  
“You didn’t lie to Ariel when you took her here,” she reasoned gently. “You hadn’t any inclination to believe we’d do more than bestow a blessing. You have done nothing untoward. That has been explained.”  
“But she is supposed to go to The Deities being of one power!” Ursul argued angrily. “Those are the rules!”  
“They are the rules because you doubt her strength? She’s nearly died on you, what? Thrice? The Deities’ only rule is that no one openly admits their love for your vessel before she’s sent to them.”  
“How can you all be so fucking dense!” Ursul shouted. “My hands are tied! I cannot agree to this!”  
“How can you be so full of greed?” a cherub returned with just as much anger. “We all know about your other plan. We all know why the moray is tied to that human! Half breeds populating the world so you can have an excuse to come and go as you please!”  
“So what of it?” Ursul barked. “The rest of you will pop up in stories and dreams! It’s perfectly acceptable for you to re-enter this world! Why can’t I do the same?”  
“To inspire!” the cherub attacked, wings angrily shedding glowing feathers. “You’re just staying here out of greed!”  
Ursul bared his teeth.  
“I am living the life that was promised me! Nothing more you baby faced flying bitch!” he roared.  
“Silence!” the wood nymph shouted over the rapidly growing din. “Silence all of you! I understand the hardship placed upon your shoulders, Ursul. This is not what any of us wants. We would rather stay with the humans and help govern them but we cannot because they do not want us. They want themselves. We must work together in order to leave this Realm before the humans realise we are more than stories and tricks of light. You have the gift of foresight. You have seen what humans will do to creatures like us. Twenty first century experimentation, bombs stronger than any nuclear … Ursul … We don’t have a choice. We have to leave.”

OoOo

A deal had been struck. Striking afore mentioned deal had taken some time. Ursul was stubborn, angry and he was afraid.   
Not a good mix.  
It had been agreed that since the wood nymph had poached Ariel for the land cause without giving any indication she had been even looking for a vessel, she would wipe Ariel’s mind. Ursul would train Ariel, retake his place at Triton’s Palace and allow Ariel three years of happiness on land and three in the sea before sending her to The Deities, all the while keeping her unaware of what fate awaiting her.  
“As soon as Ariel is blessed with the portal we’ll want her on land as much as possible,” the nymph told The Sea Witch..   
“Six months of every year,” Ursul replied. “I made that agreement when I asked for her to be my Queen. Anything more would make me lacking and you greedy. I need her to help me with The Merpeople, remember?”  
The nymph nodded slowly.  
“That’s … fair enough. Another thing. Your High Priests daughter.”  
“What of her?”  
“Very simple,” a light nymph replied. “We do not trust her.”  
“We do not like her,” a fire nymph echoed.  
“Well tough luck,” Ursul retorted. “I’m not manipulating my Queen any more than what’s necessary. If she prefers Arga attentions to my own then so be it. I’ll not thwart their courtship till she tells me to do just that.”  
“See,” the faerie commented amusedly. “He does love her.”  
Ursul bared his teeth at the sprite.  
It merely stuck its tongue out at him.  
“Just be careful,” the wood nymph recommended before a miniature war could break out between the two. “You have my word that we will do the same from here. Now you really should get going. I think it rude to tarry.”

Below the valley of caves

It took a lot for The Witch not to ask Ariel if she was going to shoot a fireball at him.   
Fortunately, she was still as placid as a lamb, waiting right where they had left her.  
“Young Queen,” the wood nymph cooed melodiously. “We’re back. You must rise now.”  
With the elegance of a Lipizzaner, Ariel rose from the leaf strewn floor, staring straight ahead.  
“Oh I almost forgot!” The nymph cried. She snapped her long, olive fingers. “A token of good will.”  
A light nymph and a river nymph danced their way towards the group. On their person was a large sack brimming with precious gems.  
“Hang one tumbler in every chamber,” the wood nymph smiled fondly at Ariel whilst the others placed the sack on the saddle. “Maybe even give your lovely bride a necklace as a wedding present?”  
“Our thanks,” Ursul said.  
The two nymphs bowed.  
“Our pleasure.”  
“Drink this,” the wood nymph instructed Ariel, giving The Queen a rectangular vial containing a dark red liquid. “It will calm your nerves. You’ve had a busy day, haven’t you, young one?”  
Ariel wordlessly took the vial, pulled off the stopper and drank the potion in one go.   
As soon as she had finished swallowing, Ariel seemed to return her old self.  
“Are we going back now?” she asked looking askance at Ursul, completely unaware of what had just unfolded.  
“We are,” he replied, offering her his arm.

The field behind the Palace

Ariel was silent during the return ride to The Palace. Something other than gaining a home had happened. She just couldn’t put her finger on what exactly.  
And Ursul was … ill at ease?   
During the return trek, he held her a little tighter, seemed less inclined to tease her, or at the very least, try to feel her up.   
Ariel was almost insulted.  
When she asked Ursul if something was wrong The Witch told her he wanted to get back before the horse collapsed under the weight of the sack they were carrying. When she pressed him a little harder, he, kissed her head and admitted that the ocean was calling and he was eager to return to it.  
Ariel didn’t buy that excuse either but she was disinclined to argue with him.  
Truth be told, she missed the ocean too.

The Palace, Ursul’s chambers

Ursul had just returned from dinner when he received a most unwelcome guest.  
“Oh what is it now?” he complained, peeved.  
Dressed as a Palace servant, the wood nymph unfolded herself from the chair.  
“How is she?” she asked.  
“She likes it-”  
The woman immediately silenced him with a dark look.  
“Don’t be crass!” she snapped.  
“Ariel is fine!” Ursul grumbled, reaching for the decanter and glass. “She’s having a marvellous time with her palfrey.” Unable to help himself, he added deviously. “Would you like to-”  
“Oh shush with you and pour me a drink!”  
Chuckling, Ursul poured the nymph a glass of brandy.  
“To The Queen,” he said as he handed her the crystal bowl of a glass.  
The nymph readily accepted her beverage, clinked it to his and added before sipping. “May the union between land and sea prosper.”  
“I can’t see why not,” Ursul said as he sat across from where she stood. “Poseidon is the horse God.”  
The nymph ignored his comment, staring into the flickering orange and yellow flames.  
“I need you to help me with a dream,” she murmured. “Would you oblige me?”  
Ursul leaned back in his chair, swirling his brandy as he mulled over the question.  
“What do I get out of it?” he asked.  
The nymph bristled.  
“I put a concealment on Ariel’s powers just for you!” she spat. “Don’t spar with me Witch!”  
Ursul wagged a finger at her.   
“Ah quid pro quo, my dear. I do nothing for nothing remember?”  
“If you do this for me I’ll be giving you something that will bind me to you till the portal closes. Is that fair enough?”  
“Depends what it is.”  
The wood nymph quickly imbibed the rest of the alcohol. Setting the glass on a side table then sat across from him and clasped her hands in her lap.  
“I told you I had a dream, yes?”  
“You did.”  
“In my dream … In my dream I die the day the portal is meant to open.”  
“Go on.”  
“Your High Priest’s daughter and a woman I’ve not seen before murder me.”

Flashback, The Leviathan, Ursula’s main chamber

Stroking the smooth exterior of the golden conch shell, still warm from the capture of Triton’s daughter’s voice, Ursula sighed in contentment.   
“Now to deal with the wee frippets wee friends,” she decided as she leaned her hefty body against a chamber wall.   
OoO  
Having dealt with the crab and blue tang surgeon fish, Ursula was about to conduct her transformation when the crystal ball began to illuminate the chamber in a milky white light.  
“Oh no …” The Witch groaned.   
Now?  
Really?  
Ballsie really did have the best timing.

oOo

“Well at least my death scream was magnificent,” Ursula mused, chin in her lavender palms.   
The ball glowed a little more brightly as if in apology.  
“Best get the metaphorical ball rolling,” Ursula grumbled balefully.

End of flashback, The Palace, Ursul’s chambers

After shooing the nymph away and telling her he would seek her out after the wedding, Ursul poured himself another glass of brandy.  
Standing before the fireplace, he nursed the glass, watching the flames dance.   
“So you been eavesdropping on my conversation?” Ursul murmured amusingly. “How rude.”  
Stepping back, The Witch looked on as the “eavesdropper” leapt into the chamber, sparks and dying embers floating all about her person.  
“I know all,” a curvaceous blond and orange haired fire nymph proclaimed without arrogance just simplicity. “Because I see all. I’ve seen all long before you came here, Witch. I know the wood nymph did not see her death in her dream, she saw yours.”  
“Indeed,” he confirmed. “That blond whinger and my Queen’s sister Aquata turn against me. I never escape.”  
“Your ability to remain so composed is admirable. What can you do to thwart this outcome?”  
“Very little. I managed to alter my fate once. I doubt I can do it again.”  
“What was to be your fate last time if you don’t mind me asking?”  
“I thought you said you know all?”  
The flames coating his …. Guest writhed.  
“Don’t bait me,” she warned.   
“I’ll play nicely then,” Ursul sighed. “Princie pooh Eric was going to drive a ship into me just before I could blast Ariel to smithereens with her father’s trident.”  
The nymph made a face.  
“A gruesome death,” she remarked.  
“Very,” Ursul agreed. “And this death, although nowhere near as gruesome is …. Well, it’s not exactly ideal.”  
“Not ideal because you want to go through the portal or not ideal because you want to stay with her?”   
Ursul deemed that question unwise to answer and feigned being interest in his beverage.  
“I can change this fate,” the flaming woman told him. “But only if you are willing to sacrifice something in exchange.”  
“Let’s just say, out of mad curiosity, I’ll bite/ What would you have me give up?” Ursul asked as he swirled the amber liquid.  
The answer was simple.  
“Your narcissism.”

Ariel’s chambers

Ariel just had the most glorious long bath and was snug as a bug in a rug, what with bundled up in a cream velvet robe, and combing the tangles out of her hair whilst getting ready for a cosy night in with Arga.  
She had just finished combing when she noticed had a visitor.  
“I thought you weren’t into threesome’s,” Ariel said as Ursul strode in. “Arga’s going to be here in a moment.”  
“Ha and ha wife.” The Witch parried. He held up a little box. “Something borrowed, blue and new. I’ve been told all brides need this.”  
“Who told you that?” Ariel asked curiously, rubbing rose water into her wrists.  
“Flotsam.”  
Ariel almost laughed.   
“I don’t know what to say to that,” she said.  
“Believe it or not Carlotta was giving him wedding advice,” Ursul explained. Ever one for drama, he knelt beside her opening the box. “For our second wedding, wife.”  
Ariel marvelled at the contents. A necklace fit for a … Well a Queen.   
White gold with violet amethyst, sky blue turquoise, forest emerald, all embraced by the tiniest of white diamonds.  
“It’s incredible,” she breathed, enchanted.  
How was it that every gift Ursul gave her never failed to take her breath away?  
“It’s nothing compared to my clobber!” Ursul teased playfully.  
“You’re going to be wearing more diamonds then me?” Ariel guessed, arching an eyebrow.  
“Naturally darling. Naturally. Just don’t let Eric’s mother know. The woman is Hell bent on wearing more rocks than either of us combined! Her last dress was so heavy she nearly toppled off the balcony, remember?”  
Ariel laughed.   
The sound was soft, like the wind outside, it was light. It was happy.   
He would hear that sound again.  
There was a knock at the door.  
“Ariel, are you decent?”  
Smacking a hand to her forehead. Ariel swore under her breath.  
Great.   
Just great.  
“Ah. It would seem that your palfrey is here!” Ursul sneered his good mood ruined.  
“Don’t, just don’t,” Ariel muttered.  
“Or what?” Ursul spat unable to rein in the venom.  
He closed the jewel box with a less than subtle snap then smacked it on her vanity.   
Ariel sighed rose to her feet.  
“She makes me happy,” she told him frankly. “Happy wife, happy life and all that, remember?”  
“And let’s not forget who picks up the pieces after every argument?” Ursul reminded snidely.  
“Ariel?”  
“Despite everything …” Ariel hesitated, wringing her hands nervously. “You both make me happy. Just in different ways. With you it’s like fire and ice. Thunder wind and lightening. With her-”  
“And with her it’s as though you can have Eric?” Ursul dared to ask.  
Ariel was so relieved he’d said it before she had to.  
“I’m very lucky,” she whispered earnestly. “Not many people get to have this.” She took a tentative step towards him. “You’ve shown me I can have both … I’d like to … Please let me thank you both … Have you both. It’d-”  
The door burst open.  
“Oh!” Arga exclaimed. “I didn’t reali-Oh ….” She stared at the two of them, wide eyed. “I can come back. It’s not a-”  
“I was just leaving,” Ursul said abruptly.  
Ariel could only stare straight ahead whilst Arga simply stared after Ursul.  
The door slammed behind him.  
“What was that all about?” the blond asked the red head, frowning.  
“Ursul and I ..” Ariel shook her head.  
Arga’s frown increased.   
“You and he?”  
“I offered him a threesome and he declined and left me with a necklace,” Ariel blurted out.  
“And me,” Arga reminded. “I’m standing right here.”  
Ariel wanted to scream. She was getting everything all wrong.  
“I’m glad you’re here,” Ariel managed with an unconvincing smile. “I really am.”  
“Really?” Arga replied. “Because when I came in you looked like you wished I hadn’t.”  
“Well you could have waited!” Ariel snapped, feeling attacked.   
“And you could have asked me if I wanted to be involved in such an atrocious act before you brought it up with your mate! You’re just like him, aren’t you? So fucking inconsiderate all the fucking time! You can’t-”  
Trembling with so much anger she thought she was going to explode; Ariel silenced Arga with a hard slap.  
Stunned, the woman staggered backwards, lower lip oozing dark blood.  
“Get on your knees!” Ariel ordered in a harsh rasp.  
Realising she had gone too far, Arga immediately dropped to her knees, staring at the floor.  
“Stay there,” Ariel ordered. “Just like that. You’ll leave when I say, understand?”  
“Majesty,” Arga whimpered. “I understand.”

Ursul’s bedchambers, 

As soon as Ariel allowed her to leave, Arga shot off like a spooked rabbit.  
She didn’t return to her own chambers like Ariel had instructed her to. Instead she went straight to Ursul’s not even bothering to knock on the chamber door.  
“Oi!” Ursul yelled as she burst into the room.   
“Oi!” the whore beneath him shrieked. “Oh tis Milady Milord!”  
“I can see that!” Ursul growled. “What, pray tell, does Milady want with me? Is she blind? We’re a little occupied-” he grunted as he pulled himself out of the prostitute. “At the moment!”  
“I need to speak to you!” Arga replied. “Hurry up and get rid of the piece of skirt!”  
“I charge twelve guineas by the hour!” the ebony maned woman barked. “I ain’t a piece of skirt ya pampered cu-”  
“Ladies!” Ursul roared, the sheet slipping from his chest, as he sat up, barely hiding his cock. “Let’s not behave like idiots. Lady Sibylla. Wait in my chambers. Help yourself to whatever you think will calm your hysterics. Siobhan, I’d thank you to say nothing of this to anyone. Take the purse on the chest. You’ll find it’s more than generous.”  
Appeased, the woman gave Ursul a terse agreement and pulled herself off the bed.   
Naked as a babe, she purposefully sauntered past Arga, flaunting her pale, lean body.  
Arga blushed and looked away.  
“Shameless!” she murmured, fanning herself.  
“Prude!” Siobhan leered as a retort.  
“Play nice Siobhan,” Ursul cautioned as the woman picked up her clothes from the floor. “I’ll see you before we leave.”  
The whore cast The Witch a parting flirtatious wink prior to the heated glare she gave Sibylla.  
“Sister in law my arse!” she muttered under her breath as she left.  
As soon as the door had closed behind Siobhan Arga flew into a rage.  
“Ariel is out of control and it’s all your fault!” she spat.  
Ursul groaned.  
“What happened this time?” he sighed.  
“She tried to-”  
“Hesitation makes you insipid Arga!”  
“She tried to get us into a trinity without asking!” Arga snapped. “When I told her off for being inconsiderate she hit me then made me kneel on the floor till five minutes ago!”  
Well that wasn’t good.  
“I’ll see to Ariel,” Ursul told Arga briskly, wanting to get a wriggle on. “I want you to return to your chambers till dawn. As soon as you can, tell Carlotta you and Ariel had another tiff and you need separate lodgings till the day we leave. Flotsam and his entourage will tend to Ariel from now on.”  
“Has this got something to do with Eric?” the younger Cecaelia asked, clearly ill at ease.  
“Partially,” Ursul replied then gave her a push. “Now shoo!”  
“But the whore!”  
Ursul pushed her again.  
“The whores here show more common sense then you do wench! shoo!”

Ariel’s bed chambers

“They tell me you’ve not been eating,” Ursul said and sat beside Ariel, taking in her visage for a moment before speaking again. “Arga told me her side of things. What about yours?”  
Underneath the pelt, shift and robe, Ariel seemed to stiffen.  
“You want to hear mine?” she asked in a small, croaky, not to mention, incredulous voice. “Haven’t you made up your mind already?”  
“Speak now or forever hold your peace.”  
Ariel laughed weakly. The sound was cold and bitter in Ursul’s ears.  
“Peace?” she echoed. “There’s no peace where we’re concerned. How can there be?”  
“A tad melodramatic, don’t you think?” Ursul asked. “I explained this to you before. You’ve just lost Eric. Arga isn’t the most tactful of women. Accept the shitty feelings and bear up.”  
Ariel sniffed. Rolling over, she looked up at him, eyes red rimmed from crying, face pale and tired.  
“I hit her,” she mumbled.  
“She told me that,” Ursul replied.  
“I got mad … I never thought I could-” she dropped her head, staring at her hands. “I think I might have blood on my fingers.”  
“Then this is what’s going to happen,” Ursul declared whilst rising from the bed. “You are going eat. You are going to bathe and then you and I are going outside for some fresh air and a tete a tete.” He touched a finger to Ariel’s lips when she tried to protest. “Ah! No saying no! You stink! You look profoundly frightful! I’m not having it! Now pick up that bell and ring it young lady. I’ll come to fetch you at twelve.”  
“But Arga-” Ariel begun.  
Ursul wasn’t having it.  
“The thoughtless little prude will still be here sulking and worrying her head off when we return!” he insisted. “Stop delaying the inevitable and ring that bell!”

OoO

True to his word, Ursul arrived to collect Ariel at twelve sharp.   
“Thank you Poopsie!” he said to Flotsam who couldn’t have looked more embarrassed. “You’ve certainly outdone yourself! My sweetness looks perfect!”  
“Poopsie?” Ariel echoed as she accepted his arm, looking questioningly at Flotsam.  
The human covered eel groaned into his palm.  
“What can I say? I think Poopsie’s adorable!” The Witch paused and stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Now which horse are we pinching today?”

Ariel’s cottage, the main chamber

“It’s not the same cottage,” Ariel remarked, taking off her travelling cloak and folding it over her arm.   
“In some ways it is,” Ursul said as he spread a fur pelt over the broad oak table. “Touch a finger to the jet tumbler.”  
She did just that.  
The chamber instantly reverted back to how she remembered it.  
Ariel touched the stone again.  
“Amazing,” she breathed.  
“Part of what we do is based on tricks,” Ursul explained, “If you want to survive up here and down there, you’ll be playing a lot of tricks.”  
After lighting candles around the room, Ursul reached into the sack on the floor.  
“Jade, turquoise, clear quartz … and …. Amethyst. Right. Strip to your shift. Stockings and shoes off. Lie down flat on your back. Your chakras are out of whack Sweetcakes,” Ursul went on, placing a pillow at the head of the table. “Something needs to be done about that. Now don’t stand there gaping at me. Strip, pop your head down, close your pretty blue eyes, and let me do my thing.”  
oOo  
As soon as he’d touched the amethyst to Ariel’s forehead, she was out like a pinched flame.  
“Now we can proceed,” Ursul murmured.  
OoOoOo  
Twas only five minutes in when Ursul realised that he was out of his depth.  
“Bugger,” he muttered.  
Ariel’s chakras weren’t just “out of whack” they were frayed to next to nothing.   
As loathe as he was to admit it, he was going to need help.  
Closing his eyes, The Sea Witch reached out to the wood nymph.

OoO

“It’s good you sent for me as soon as you did,” the nymph told Ursul, slim olive hand resting upon Ariel’s forehead.  
“I didn’t want our girl to go pop,” Ursul replied, standing by Ariel’s feet.  
The nymph pursed her lips, removing her hand.  
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” she began.  
Ursul cut her off.  
“What is it?” he demanded.  
“She’s battling the powers we’ve put into her,” she informed sadly. “Trying to reject them. This woman is both Siren and Cecaelia. Naturally oceanic creatures. We’ve put nymph, faerie and land Witch magic inside her. as a result, everything’s struggling for dominance.”  
“And you allowed this to happen?” Ursul seethed lividly, incredulously. “You were fine with this!”  
“We needed her. Remember?” she reminded sternly.  
“You did all this without her consent!” Ursul thundered no longer caring who heard him. “She didn’t have a choice!”  
“We didn’t have a choice!” the nymph fought back only just keeping a lid on her own fury lest they lose control and Ariel woke up. “No one of us have a choice! We have to work together! Now put a lid on your ire and listen to me! Have your wedding, retake Triton’s Palace and send Ariel to The Deities as soon as possible.”  
“What if she doesn’t survive?” Ursul countered angrily. “What then?”  
“She has to survive,” the nymph replied, gesturing helplessly. “We won’t stand a chance if she doesn’t.”  
Not good enough.  
Not good enough at all.  
“You know that dream you asked me to decipher? Well here you go!” Ursul stabbed a finger at the nymph. “You die! You get stabbed in the back by Arga the insipid temptress and her bed warmer!”  
The nymph, despite her best efforts, flinched.   
“Now fix her and piss off!” Ursul spat acidly. “I’m going outside to count to fifty! If you’re still here when I come back I’ll stab you myself!”  
Ursul had been lying through his teeth to the wood nymph’s face but he honestly couldn’t give a flying fuck.  
His plans had been ruined.   
‘I hope the knife’s blunt!’ Ursul thought snarkily as he stalked towards the open doorway.  
“You’re not going anywhere.”  
Before he could retaliate, roots shoot out of the floor, entrapping The Witch.  
“Whoreson!” Ursul bellowed as he struggled. “Let me go at once!”  
“I’ll release you after your rage has cooled and you have a mind to use logic rather than emotion,” the nymph replied. “Remember who blessed this cottage, remember who agreed to your demands, remember who can pluck your black heart out of your chest right now …”  
Ursul grunted and struggled, face contorted and red with anger and effort.  
“Remember,” the nymph ordered. “Or has your arrogance and malevolence left you blind to anything but yourself?”  
“I will kill you!” Ursul snarled as he writhed.   
The nymph seemed to soften.  
“You won’t Cecaelia,” she told him sadly. “You need me and we need you.”

The Palace. Outside Ariel’s chambers

The former novice watched in silence as Ariel’s things were taken from her old chamber.  
‘Will she come back to me after this?’ Arga wondered. ‘Will I even want to return to her?’  
She touched her lip remembering the blow.  
“Lady Sibylla?”  
The woman turned to address Eric’s advisor.  
“Yes?” she answered politely. “What is it Grimsby?”  
“Your sister and her betrothed await you in the gardens. They’re very insistent you take pause in what you’re doing and take a turn with them.”  
Arga pursed her lips.  
Was this Ariel’s idea or was it Ursul’s?  
Only one way to find out.  
“I shall go and fetch my shawl then,” Arga murmured, smiling politely at Grim as she passed. 

The Gardens

Arga was not disenchanted by Ariel as she came across them inside the labyrinthine Palace gardens.  
The Cecaelia was dressed in white silk and cream lace, her lovely crimson mane tamed into a low bun. Her oval pale face and unnerved pink mouth made her seem almost childlike.   
And so lost … begging to be found.  
“Hello sister dear!” Ursul cried waving cheerily at Arga she made her way towards them. “Isn’t the fresh air and daylight just lovely this morning?”  
“It’s …” Arga hesitated. “It’s very nice.”  
Unable to meet her gaze, Ariel scuffed her feet.  
“I smell roses!” Ursul declared suddenly. “I’m off to inspect the floral arrangements, cheerio dears!”   
For a good long while, there was silence between the two women.   
“Ursul decided we needed to-”  
“Talk?” Arga guessed.  
Ariel nodded.  
Arga toyed idly with a loose thread on her shawl.  
Silence.  
Silence till …  
“I’m sorry!” Ariel blurted out. “I was overwhelmed! I didn’t mean to hurt you like that! I’ll never do it again! On my life I won’t!”  
The apology was a miasma of words Arga did not want to hear or believe.  
“But you did hurt me!” she insisted angrily. “Can’t you see what’s happening? You are turning out to be just like him!”  
Ariel tottered backwards as though she had been struck this time.  
“I’m nothing like him …” she whispered. “Arga … Arga, I’m a Witch but that’s where it ends. I’m not narcissistic. I can love. I can feel both empathy and sympathy why are you doing this?”  
“I’m saying all this because this needs to be said,” Arga replied folding her arms. “This thinking you can have both of us can’t happen. Additionally, Ursul’s got you wrapped around his little finger and I think you like it like that.”  
Ariel couldn’t believe what she was hearing.   
“Why are you making things so difficult? Difficult for us?” she hissed. “Can’t you see this is as good as it’s going to be?”  
Arga burst out laughing.  
“If you believe that then you really are a foolish little girl!”  
“That’s enough!”  
Both women looked away from each other towards Ursul and Flotsam who were fast approaching, frowning in displeasure.  
“You are upsetting The Queen,” Ursul reprimanded disapprovingly. “I think it’s time for you to return to your father, wouldn’t you agree? I’m not going to have a distraught bride!”  
Ariel placed herself in front of Arga.  
“I-”  
“Yes you!” Ursul cut off sharply, sternly. “You’ve given this woman too much free rein and now it’s plain to see that she does not know her place in our scheme of things. That is unacceptable. I arranged this meeting for you both to have a civilised discussion. Clearly this is something beyond you both. Arga will return to The Leviathan. You can try to resurrect your romance when we return. Do not test me by trying to change my mind. She is leaving.”  
Seeing there was nothing she could do, Ariel turned to her lover. `  
“He’s right,” she said miserably. “We have to stop fighting. Time apart might-”  
“Save it!” Arga snapped. “Just-Stop it.”  
She didn’t need to hear any more excuses.  
“Arga?”  
Ignoring Ariel, the older Cecaelia fixed Ursul with the most hate filled countenance Ariel had ever seen on a face. It was something that rivalled her father’s when he had destroyed her collection.   
“You’ve got her exactly where you want her,” Arga spat venomously. “I hope you’re pleased with yourself.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ariel tried to shout, grabbing Arga’s shawl and pulling her close, forcing the blond to look her in the eye. “I put myself here! Not him! Me! I survived that ritual! I chose this! It wasn’t all him!” Shaking with so much passion, she squeezed Arga’s arms. “It wasn’t all him …”  
Arga wrenched the younger woman off her.   
“Believe whatever you want,” she said coolly, smoothing her wrinkled shawl. “You always do.”  
Ariel couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  
“I just wanted-All I wanted to do was apologise for hurting you,” she whispered. “Please don’t … Don’t cast me aside …”  
“You did all that on your own,” Arga rebuked icily. “It wasn’t all me.”  
Ariel flinched.  
“Arga,” Ursul warned. “You are treading on thin ice.”  
The blond looked from Ariel to her former lover.  
“Yes,” she agreed wearily. “I believe I am doing just that. I’ll go. I’ll go right now.”  
“Thank you for being reasonable,” Ursul drawled. “We should return before the month is over.”  
“I’ll go with you. The otherss will need a good cover sstory,” Flotsam offered.   
There were no parting words. No lingering glances.   
With a sweep of rose skirts and white lace, Arga left with The Duchess thus leaving Ariel behind with Ursul.  
The young Queen was standing as still as a snow white statue, blue doe eyes welling up with tears of profound sorrow.   
The Witch shifted to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, moulding her to him.  
“Say it,” Ursul ordered quietly.  
Ariel closed her eyes, reached for his hand, covering it with her own.  
“I want to hate you,” she croaked.  
There was nothing but silence all around them. It was as if her pain had made the world pause to take note of her grief.  
“What do you need?” Ursul whispered.  
Ariel opened her eyes and blinked.  
The sun hurt her eyes. The fresh air and all the brightly coloured flowers … Too much.   
Everything right now was all too much.  
“Get me away from here,” she whispered. “Please.”

Triton’s Palace, Queen Ingrid’s Confinement chambers

“I’m so sorry, Majesty,” the midwife told Jetsam forlornly. “The babe didn’t make it.”  
“Was it a boy?” Triton demanded as he stormed into the chamber, Aquata behind him.  
The midwife, being used to this behaviour from her King, simply shook her head.  
“A girl, Your Majesty.”  
“It will be a boy next time!” Jetsam insisted fretfully, ignoring everyone else. “An alive boy! I’ll try harder! I swear it!”  
“I’ll tell the others,” Aquata muttered. “We’ll keep it quiet father. Don’t worry about the gossipers.”  
Triton ignored her, staring at his Queen with an unfathomable expression.  
“You promised me sons,” he said at last.  
Jetsam bowed his head.  
“I am trying,” he maintained.  
Triton nodded slowly.  
“The healers will visit us both in the morning. I suggest you rest.”  
Jetsam raised his head, meeting Triton’s gaze.  
“Whatever it takes,” he said wanly. “We will have a son.”

Aquata’s chambers

“We should have never allowed father to marry that wretch!” the Heir Assumptive groaned to herself, pouring goblets of wine for herself and her mate. “She’s useless and he still won’t tell anyone where he got her from.”  
Her mate, Head of Triton’s Guard and father of their twin boys tried to give Aquata a sympathetic arm squeeze but the young woman shrugged him off.   
“Not now Algernon!” she snapped brusquely. “We need to dig further. Something’s up and I can’t shake this feeling ...”  
“What?”  
“I think …” Aquata bit her lip. “I think she might be connected to my sister’s disappearance …”  
“But it’s not just that is it?” Algernon contested, still smarting from her rejection. “You’re afraid your father will remove you from becoming Queen if he has a boy?”  
Aquata whirled around and glared at him.  
“Don’t be stupid!” she spat. “My sisters and I have all given him grandsons. He hasn’t made them anything but Princes. I have nothing but absolute surety that I will be The Sea Queen when he dies!”

The surface, a cave below The Palace

One would’ve thought Ursul would’ve taken Ariel to her cottage but having been so fed up and, secretly unnerved, by the wood nymph, Ursul had another idea.   
“What is this place?” Ariel asked as he drew her further and further into the dark bowels of the cave.  
“My own personal shrine to Poseidon. You don’t have your own yet but you will.” He yanked at a lump of moss and pulled a large rock from the wall, adding with a grunt. “It takes time to earn one of these.”  
“And I’m allowed to be here?” Ariel asked, amused.  
“You’re my protégé and mate,” Ursul pointed out.   
“Is this a lesson?”  
“More like a restoration if you will. Should you be feeling under the weather up on land, until you get your own, I want you to come here if you can’t settle down at the cottage, understood?”  
Ariel nodded again.  
“Understood. But isn’t the cottage a-”  
“That was gifted to you by a devotee of Persephone, not of Poseidon,” Ursul cut off, wanting to get a wriggle on. “Now this involves a blood initiation. Hold out your hand. This shouldn’t sting too much.”

OoO

Wearing only her shift, clutching the clear crystal statue of Poseidon to her breast, Ariel floated on her back in a semi-circle whilst Ursul hummed and chanted above her.  
“Close your eyes and breathe,” Ursul ordered in between hums and chants.  
“I am breathing,” Ariel grouched.   
“Breathe like you’re relaxed.”  
Ariel growled softly in warning.  
Ursul rolled his eyes.  
“You’re such a temperamental little bitch!” he snipped as he glared down at her.  
Ariel snorted and rose to her full height, running her free hand through her wet hair.  
“And you can be an autocratic bastard when you’re not sweet and funny.” She immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean that.”  
“Autocratic bastard or sweet and funny?” Ursul drawled.  
Ariel winced.  
She was in for it now.  
“Both,” she admitted.  
Ursul surprised his Queen by changing tack with a wink of an eye.  
“Lie down and pick up Posi,” he instructed as he stripped to his shirt and breeches. “You lash out when you can’t concentrate.”  
Ariel frowned quizzically.  
“Posi?”  
“Posi,” Ursul replied with clear fondness as he entered the pool, wading towards her. “Isn’t he sweet?”  
Ariel warily laid herself down, taking “Posi” and clutching him to her breast.  
“He’s an Adonis,” she grumbled closing her eyes.  
Ursul sniggered.  
Placing his finger tips on her forehead and stomach, The Witch began to hum once more.  
Ariel shivered at the sound, eyes flittering all over the place.  
“Relax,” he coaxed in between hums. “This place is sacred. You won’t be harmed here. I promise.”  
Taking a deep breath, Ariel closed her eyes. Taking another, another and another, she felt her body slip and slide into a state of lissomness she’d never imagined possible for someone like her.  
Further and further she slid into the dark bowels of her mind, becoming numb, becoming nothing till-Ariel’s eyes opened and she stared up at the ceiling of the cave.  
“That was-” she began then stopped.  
Hovering over her, Ursul helped her up.  
“How do you feel?” he asked, hand on the small of her back.   
“Still,” Ariel replied, a little giddy over how every miserable feeling that had overlapped her happiness was gone. “I feel … I feel better.”  
She looked down at the statue; it was clear and glistening, seemingly full of whatever had been weighing her down.  
“You need to return to The Leviathan,” Ursul told her, taking Ariel’s arm and escorting her to the bank. “You’re too young a Witch to be on the surface for so long.”  
Wasn’t exactly a lie.   
“We’ll leave as soon as Flotsam and I can perfect an alibi,” he continued as he led her. “It shouldn’t take too long.”  
“I’d like to go back,” Ariel said, handing him the statuette. “I need to … I want to talk to Arga. I feel better about us now.”  
Ursul decided he wasn’t touching that.  
“Dress your Ladyship,” he said, glad Ariel didn’t seem to care he hadn’t offered his thoughts on a reunion. “We have to be fitted for our clobber!”

The Presence Chamber

A few days later Ariel was finally walking down a red, pink and white rose petal strewn aisle, dressed from head to toe in white satin, lace and silk.   
The very epitome of the “virginal” Noble bride.  
Ariel tried so very hard not to wince or gasp with every step she took. The blasted corset was extra tight due to the fact she was the bride and, according to Carlotta, every bride had to look perfect.   
Her only victory was that Flotsam, who walked behind her, holding her train, had to have an even tighter corset because he was a Duchess married to The Prince.  
Through her veil, Ariel saw Ursul waiting for her beside Eric, his father and The Kingdom’s Priest. Her mate was stunning in a black velvet coat, a violet with silver brocade waist coat and fitting black breeches. Had she not been wearing a corset it would have been he who would have been astounding her.  
Sweet strains of music filled the chamber, coming to a robust crescendo as Ariel drew to a halt.   
Stepping over, Eric took her hand and together they waited for The Priest to speak.  
“Who gives this woman to this man?” the elderly man with rather knobbly knees wheezed.  
“I do,” Eric replied.  
Ariel swallowed a laugh at the irony of it all. Twas really quite ironic because she was being “given” to the creature who bewitched Eric in order to have him steer clear of her … She could see the misfortune she had narrowly avoided so clearly now. Eric wasn’t just bewitched. He was a gullible little boy who wasn’t going to grow into a man anytime soon. Certainly not when being gullible and a boy was so easy and his parents were around to keep him from running The Kingdom into the ground.  
Gods help Flotsam when they weren’t.  
Yes, it could be said that Ariel had indeed avoided a gigantic dung heap by not marrying Eric.

OoOoOoOo

“You may now kiss the bride.”  
Cupping her face in his hands, Ursul kissed her tenderly on the lips.   
There was something in the kiss Ariel could not understand.   
She’d never felt it before.   
As Ursul drew away, the smile on his lips was not wicked.   
It was sad.  
‘I don’t understand,’ she questioned ardently with her eyes. ‘Why are you-?’  
Ariel never got a chance to finish. Eric snatched up their hands, holding them above his head; The Prince stepped forth to present her and Ursul to his court.  
“Lord and Lady Thornbury!” he announced. “May their union be long and may they be blessed with strong and handsome sons.”  
Cheeks aflame, Ariel curtsied to Eric’s parents then to Eric and Flotsam.  
Taking Ursul’s arm, she allowed him to escort her to the ballroom.  
“Thornbury?” she asked as they walked down the aisle.  
“I thought it sounded pretty,” Ursul replied happily.  
‘There he is,’ she thought amused.

Eric and Vanessa’s Chambers

“I’ll see you when they’re done with me,” Eric told Vanessa as his manservants flocked around his chamber door, his attire for the reception in hand. “Remember father wants you to waltz with him tonight. He’ll never let it go if we forget.”  
“When have I ever let you down, my love?” Vanessa replied, radiant as the sun. “Just very quickly. We should leave our own announcement till after the reception,” she told Eric as she withdrew the silver hairpins from the sides of her head, letting the lustrous dark tresses fall about her like a waterfall. “Maybe tomorrow, even better, the following day? I don’t want to steal their thunder.”  
Eric beamed adoringly at his wife.  
“You’re so thoughtful,” he praised.   
“I just don’t like being rude,” Vanessa said reaching for her jar of rouge.

The foyer adjacent to the ballroom

After being efficiently ripped out of her wedding dress, her hair restyled and face painted anew by Carlotta and Hanne then almost violently flung into a brand new ball gown for the reception, Ariel met Ursul in the foyer, accompanied by Hanne and Carlotta.  
Ariel’s new dress was styled akin to the black and grey affair she had worn when she was first brought to Ursul. An elegant marriage of black lace with violet and black silks woven together.   
“She refused to let us tighten her corset,” Carlotta chastised as she and Hanne escorted Ariel to Ursul. “But even so, she is absolutely lovely Sir Lars, you must be so proud.”  
“Proud is an understatement,” Ursul replied, taking Ariel’s hand and kissing her knuckles. “She’s magnifique. Thank you for your efforts ladies.”  
“I’m so sorry your sister cannot be here, my dear,” Carlotta said, sweeping her envy aside. “But If you don’t mind me saying, she seemed rather out of place. So cold and dismal.”  
Ariel bit her lip, feeling uncomfortable.  
“We hope to resolve the matter as soon as we return to England,” Ursul told Carlotta as he slid beside Ariel. “Now pray excuse us. Our reception is about to begin and I’m itching to show off my wife!”

Ariel’s bedchambers

Twas midnight when the festivities ended.  
it was time for the groom to bed the bride.  
Ariel had been borderline drunk when her own private army of servant girls, with the addition of Hanne and Carlotta, whisked her out of the ballroom to her bedchambers and promptly ripped her out of her gown, doused her with hot water, ruthlessly scrubbed her clean and then dry, then put her in the most ludicrous marital bed gown she had ever seen.  
When all that was accomplished and her feet slipped into the most luxurious lamb skin slippers, Carlotta and Hanne dismissed Ariel’s army and punctually escorted her to her new bedchambers. 

Ursul and Ariel’s bedchambers

“Oh my,” Carlotta said, holding Ariel’s arm a little tighter than the young Queen would’ve liked. “This isn’t what we expected …”  
Apart from her husband who had not had the chance to change, the massive four poster was surrounded by almost all of the male population of Eric and his family’s court with the inclusion of the two Monarchs.  
“This isn’t a Royal Wedding, Highness,” Ariel saw Ursul remind through clenched teeth.  
She was glad he had the decency to appear uncomfortable, even sober, opposite the clearly drunk Prince Eric and his father.  
“Oh come now!” The King roared, splashing wine over the floor, narrowly missing the bed. “She’s a particularly beautiful specimen. A high stepping filly and all that! We can have a bit of a gander before we head off surely?”  
Backing away despite Carlotta’s grip on her arm, Ariel’s eyes widened in profound horror.   
The King wasn’t talking about a bird …  
“Majesty, Highness. I respect tradition,” Ursul contested smoothly. “But my bride isn’t a Royal. Courtiers needn’t have their consummations witnessed.”  
The room erupted into a miasma of angry disagreement.  
“But!” Ursul barked, determined to be heard. “To appease you I shall take her on a blessed sheet.”  
This seemed to confuse Eric, his father and their companions.  
“We’re not interested in her blood!” a fop complained.  
“Aye!” another agreed. “We want to see if you can make the ranga gag for it!”  
Ariel swallowed a whimper.  
“My Lords, you are disrespecting a fellow friend to The Crown!” Ursul insisted. “I do not want to appear to have forgotten my place but this consummation is private! I’ve agreed to a blessed sheet! Now all of you! Get you gone or do I have to-”  
Before anything else could be said. Before any kind of violence could be committed, Flotsam glided into the chamber.  
“Husband …” he cooed in Ariel’s voice.   
The men nearly broke their necks just so they could stare at him.  
Flotsam stretched out a slim, white hand, beckoning to the horde.  
“Come away,” he sung in Ariel’s voice, hips swaying ever so slightly. “Come away …”  
Ursul visibly relaxed.  
“Sit down,” he murmured to Ariel, watching the men leave in waves. “Do it before you fall down.”  
Legs wobbling like jelly on a plate, Ariel was quick to obey.  
“Fuck! Carlotta’s buggered off too!” Ursul growled.  
Feathers ruffled, he snatched up the bedside table bell, rung it then reached for a half consumed decanter on of their guests had thoughtfully left behind.  
“Drink,” he ordered, pressing the glass port bottle into Ariel’s hands. “No arguments.”  
Ariel took the bottle without complaint, tilted her head back and skulled, only stopping and handing Ursul the bottle when the burn was too much.   
Taking it wordlessly, Ursul polished off the decanter and kicked the bottle under the bed.  
Hanne opened the door.  
“Sir,” she greeted upon entrance, curtsying quickly.  
“We need a blessed sheet, bottle of port, grapes, dates, bread and cheese to wash it down. Got that? Good. Go.”  
Hanne nodded and quickly quit the room.  
Turning to Ariel who was staring at her silk clad knees, Ursul decided that a drink was less than adequate damage control.   
“Look at me,” he commanded, hands on her back and arm.   
Letting out a shuddering breath, Ariel did just that.  
“How did this happen?” she asked when feeling somewhat in control of herself. “You told me you had this place under control.”  
“Flotsam’s investigating that now as we speak,” Ursul replied. “Now climb into bed and try to relax. It’s our wedding night, Lady Thornbury. We’re going to enjoy it."  
Seeing no point in arguing, Ariel warily disrobed and slid her feet out of her slippers.   
“This is ridiculous!” she complained, gesturing at the ribbons and buttons.  
Ursul sniggered.  
“Rather you than me.”  
Ariel offered him a baleful look and would’ve said a lot more when there was a brisk knock at the door.   
“Ah that’d be nibbles!” Ursul announced grandly.

oOo

Lying around her, Ursul tangled his fingers languorously in Ariel’s red tresses with one hand, the other feeding her goat’s cheese, fat green grapes and brown, wrinkled dates.  
“That’s my finger, doxy,” he chortled when Ariel mistook a date for his digit.  
The woman grinned and playfully sunk her teeth in a little further.  
Ursul groaned and shifted, the place between his legs becoming decidedly bothersome.   
“Hells and all its sodding bells! Gimme a sec!” he muttered in between winces.   
Rearing up, The Witch loosened his breeches and wriggled, pulling them down till partially free.   
“That’s much better,” he exhaled.   
Too impatient to rid himself entirely of his clothing, Ursul lay down, rolling around and beckoning for Ariel.   
“C’mere wench!”   
Seeking her mouth, Ursul kissed her hard, red tongue pushing ardently against her teeth, demanding for them to part, which they did.  
He groaned happily, wallowing like a pig in mud.   
Hooking a leg around his waist, Ariel rolled them over so she could be on top.  
Rearing back, she ripped her night dress in twain and let out a relieved breath, happy to be out of the less than seductive costume at last.   
“I was supposed to do that,” Ursul pointed out below her.   
“Are you going to pout?” Ariel asked as she rocked back and forth.  
“Not unless my lady commands it.”  
He reached up to cup her breasts, massaging slowly.  
Moaning, Ariel closed her eyes, rubbing her pert bottom against his groin. She cried out and doubled over when he entered.  
“Too soon?” Ursul asked, massaging her arm and thigh.  
“No,” Ariel panted. “Just perfect …”   
Clenching around him, her hips rocked back and forth once again.   
“You’re perfect,” she whispered.  
Ursul laughed and began to stroke her. 

OoOoOo

Cock flaccid and body spooned around his Queen, Ursul was hardly pleased when he heard a subtle tap, tap, tap at their chamber door.   
He groaned and peeled himself off his sleeping bride.   
The woman whimpered in her sleep, curling into herself.  
“Just popping out for a tick,” Ursul cooed in her ear. “I’ll be back before Apollo lights up the sky. Don’t hog all the bed clothes while I’m gone.”

Outside Ursul and Ariel’s bedchambers

“You need to get her out of here,” Flotsam told Ursul tersely. “Sssooner the better.”  
“Agreed but why is the spell failing?” Ursul muttered more to himself then to his underling. “Everyone was being so amicable till now.”  
“Did you pissss off the nymph?”  
“No more than usual,” Ursul replied with a shrug, adding in a miffed tone. “These nymphs. So sodding sensitive about everything these days!”  
“When do you want to leave?” Flotsam asked, folding his arms across his chest.  
“I need to check on the crystals before I can be certain about that. They might just need recharging.” Ursul looked to the doorway leading to the chambers he shared with Ariel then gave the former eel his attention. “Which I’ll get onto right now. Guard her till I return, Poopsie. I won’t be long.”

Ursul and Ariel’s bedchambers

Ariel woke just as the sunlight bled into the chamber.   
The Witch was sleeping soundly, face buried in her hair and neck.   
Absolutely “knackered” as he would put it.  
‘I don’t want to move,’ she thought, blinking slowly as her eyes adjusted to the light. ‘No Morgana shrieking for us to hurry up. No pain. This is the perfect post wedding day …’  
There was a soft grumble behind her.  
Ariel closed her eyes and waited.  
Ursul grumbled again. Snuggled closer to her than resumed sleeping.  
Breathing a sigh of relief, Ariel smiled to herself and joined him in slumber.

OoOoOo

Ursul woke a few hours later.  
“Certainly a difference to sneaking around,” he murmured, wiping a hand over his eyes.   
“Do we have to get up?” Ariel mumbled, hidden under a mountain of bed clothes.  
“Me yes. You. Not just yet,” Ursul replied as he reached for a robe. “I have a sheet to show off. Mayhap get up in a bit, let Carlotta and Hanne clean up. We need to give the impression you were pure when I bedded you.”  
Sniffing, Ariel groaned and reached for the bell.   
“I need a bath,” she muttered as she swung her legs over the mattress. “I smell like … I smell foul.” She reached for her robe. Pulling it on and sliding into her slippers, she plopped down on the chair beside the cold and inactive fireplace. “There’s your … sheet.”  
“Thank you, Madame!” Ursul praised as he peeled the bloodstained cloth off the mattress. “Now don’t forget, I rode you magnificently and thus you can barely move. We have appearances to maintain!”

The Leviathan, the entrance

It had taken a little longer than he had hoped but a week from their surface wedding and Ursul and Ariel were back inside the lair.   
Arga and her father were waiting for them at the entrance.  
Arga’s handsome, kindly father was composed and seemed well enough.  
His daughter was a mixture of … a whole lot of things.   
She did not look well and seemed to insist on toying with her hair rather than meet Ariel’s gaze.   
‘Here’s to sorting things out,’ Ariel thought, a mite irritated.  
“Hello, hello!” Ursul greeted jovially. “Your Sovereigns have returned from their extended honeymoon! Did you miss us? Course you did!”  
“Your chambers are ready for you,” Arga’s father told the pair. “No doubt you’ll be wanting to rest?”  
“We’re not weary to bone but a breather is required,” Ursul replied as he and Ariel set down the leather satchels they’d been carrying.  
“Some wine?”  
“Much appreciated,” Ariel said with what she hoped was a warm smile. “How are you both?”  
“Well, Majesty, thank you for asking,” The High Priest told her then made a beckoning gesture. “Now if you come with us. We have much to discuss with you both.”

The main chamber

Nursing goblets of hot wine, the group gathered around the cauldron.  
“Any word from our spy at The Palace?” Ursul asked, floating casually beside Ariel who was trying to not look like she was trying to get Arga’s attention.  
“Jetsam lost the baby,” The High Priest replied, “We had nothing to do with it but Triton is already blaming us.”  
Ursul snorted and rolled his eyes.  
“Of course he is.”  
“I had a sibling?” Ariel piped up, forgetting her former lover. “When-What?”  
“It was a stillbirth, Majesty,” Arga said, surprising Ariel and Ursul for both had thought the former novice would opt to remain quiet till ordered to speak. “We’ve only just found out.”  
“Boy or girl?” Ariel asked.   
Arga hesitated.  
“Boy or girl?” Ariel pushed, her tone a little foreboding.  
Arga swallowed and spoke.  
“Girl, Majesty,” she told Ariel quickly then sipped her wine for liquid courage. “In the same correspondence we learned Triton only married Jetsam for two reasons. Jetsam promised him a son. Furthermore … reports confirm that Triton wanted to lash out at Your Majesties since Your Majesty survived his assassination attempt.”  
Ariel knocked back the rest of her wine.  
Wiping her mouth, she rose off the rock.  
“I need to vomit. Continue without me.”

Ursul and Ariel’s chambers

Sitting on a rock outside their bedchamber, Ariel sniffed sighed and rubbed her arms.   
Her mother had assured all of her offspring that their father, the love of her life, was always going to love them no matter what happened, no matter what they did.  
‘But things change …We all change …’  
Her mother had died and with her death, an entirely different Sea King had arisen.   
From a kind and loving father came a paranoid, angry and ferociously demanding tyrant.   
“Sulking like a teenager are we?” Ursul remarked as he floated into the chamber.  
Ariel stared at her hands clasped in her lap.  
“I didn’t know where else to go,” she muttered listlessly.  
Ursul sailed over and knelt before her.   
“Look at me,” he ordered.   
Sullen, Ariel raised her head, staring up at him.  
“What is it?” she croaked bitterly.   
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” he told her flatly. “You and I know all too well the world we live in is a miserable place. We both know that it’s up to us fight to change what we can and learn from what we can’t. Now get that look off your face and get up off that rock! We have a lesson.”  
The adolescent Mermaid would have cried a thousand tears or wilted like a sun roasted flower.  
But The Cecaelia, The Queen, took a deep breath, wiped a hand over her dampened eyes and pulled herself off the boulder.

The main chamber

Ariel floated on the opposite end of the cauldron. Blue and grey smoke obscuring her vision as it sifted upwards.  
“What’s happening?” she asked.   
“Do you know what a Siren is?” Ursul answered instead, grinding and crushing herbs in a bowl.  
Ariel shrugged.  
“Not really …” she admitted. “Father told us they killed people.”  
“They did a lot more than that. Amphitrite kept Sirens as servants when The Deities roamed the earth,” Ursul tipped the mixture into the cauldron. Snapping his fingers, he conjured up, and sat by, a gold and silver harp. “Their song would ensure either death or worship.”  
Ariel cocked her head to a side.  
“And?”  
“I have a theory I want to test. I want you to sing,” Ursul told her simply. “One note.”  
Ariel stared at Ursul, frowning.   
She had been waiting for herbal tonics, tomes … initiations.   
But singing?  
‘I wanted to be a Witch,’ she sighed resignedly.  
Straightening her shoulders, Ariel took a deep, deep breath.  
Ursul plucked the harp string.  
She listened.  
“Play it again?” she asked.  
He did just that.  
“Again?” Ursul asked.  
Ariel nodded.  
After several more plucks, Ariel began humming the note. When she felt fairly certain she could match her voice to it, she readied herself and sung the note.   
“Again,” Ursul told her.  
Ariel complied.  
“Again.”  
Ariel did as he bid.  
“Again.”  
She sung the note again but added more volume this time. More … oomph so to speak.  
This seemed to be precisely what Ursul had wanted.   
“Excellent!”  
He dashed over to the cauldron and waited eagerly.   
A single white and black pearl ring popped out, landing in his lavender palm.   
“What is that?” Ariel asked.  
“Your true power,” Ursul told her. “Something you and I are going to work like Hell to harness, Mon Coeur.”  
Ariel’s brow furrowed.  
“Mon what?”  
“We’ll delve into languages later. Give me your index finger. Right hand.”  
Knowing asking why she should do such a thing would just result in a “Trust me” Ariel gave him what he wanted.  
Ursul placed the ring in the centre of her digit and slid back.   
The oddity glowed dazzlingly for a moment then settled back into normalcy.   
“How does one feel?” Ursul asked.  
Ariel flexed her fingers on her right hand, all the while staring down at the ring, only just noticing the finery of the interwoven yellow gold and silver settings.  
“Not bad,” she admitted finally lowering her hand. “But why all this jewellery? I’m wearing more than you.”  
Ursul chuckled.  
“You’re our Queen,” he pointed out. “You need to get used to dressing like one.”  
Ariel rolled her eyes.  
“Funny,” she breathed.  
“To the uneducated eye you’re wearing pretty baubles,” Ursul continued, paying no attention to the sarcasm. “To those in the know, it’s a whole new story. These trinkets are almost as powerful as your father’s Trident and will serve you well once you’ve mastered them.” He took her hands, squeezing slightly. “The Siren Ring. The Witch Queen’s Crown and necklace. Your wedding bands. These are all instruments of power. Never take them off.”  
“So … Your shell.”  
Ursul nodded.  
“The earrings were just decoration. My shell is something else.”  
“Because my voice is inside it?” Ariel asked, amused.  
“I might let you in on the actual reason one day,” Ursul replied, he too amused. “But today further instruction is required.”  
Ariel swallowed her disappointment.  
“Such as?” she pressed.  
“Such as theory, chopping and grinding. While I’m out inspecting the troops. You’re going to create potions and memorise ingredients for the rest of the day. For tomorrow we test em out!”  
“Test them out? Test them out on who?” Ariel asked warily.  
Ursul grinned raffishly back at her.  
“Customers, dear girl! I’m back in business!”  
Ariel felt a wave of fear rush through her.   
She began to tremble.  
“I don’t think-I don’t want to-I can’t do that to people!”   
“The faithful need to be inspired, young lady,” Ursul reminded firmly determined to nip any reluctance on her part in the bud. “We need the numbers before we can assume control over The Palace. You know this.”  
“There’s no other way?” Ariel pleaded in a small voice.  
“If there were neither of us would be here,” Ursul told her. “Swallow your averseness and follow my lead. You asked to be a Witch. This is the price you pay.”  
Before Ariel could lodge an argument, a pair of slender, graceful moray eels slithered into the chamber, pausing before the cauldron.  
“Majesstysss,” they hissed.  
“Flotsam’s wee widdle hatching’s!” Ursul exclaimed switching from stern to sheer delight. “Here’s your Queen and my pupil! I trust you three will get along famously, yes?”  
Whilst Ursul chattered to his new “Poopsies” Ariel’s mind was racing for options.   
It had been made crystal clear she couldn’t stop his plans. But perhaps there was something else she could do?  
“I’ll go and see what I can chop and grind,” Ariel muttered, needing privacy so she could think clearly.  
“Good, good,” Ursul said, waving her off. “I expect precise quantities.”  
Of course he did.  
“I won’t disappoint,” she muttered again, angrily raking a hand through her hair as she sped off.

Ursul’s library and store chambers

Ariel stared at the stores upon stores of ingredients in adjacent to the shelves stuffed with scrolls and tomes.   
“How in earth and the ocean am I supposed to … ?”  
She looked up at the books on the shelf. Despite her limited reading ability, she could make out that all were sorted by The English, Greek and Latin alphabets.  
“We can start with the English letter “A” I suppose,” Ariel decided warily.  
“His Majesty told me you might need help, Your Majesty?”  
Yelping, The Queen jumped near out of her skin. Spinning around with a hand cupped over her mouth, she almost died when it registered in her brain that Arga was floating before her.   
“Sorry for spooking you, Your Majesty,” she apologised.   
“It’s fine,” Ariel dismissed. “And-Thank you for offering. I need all the help I can get to be honest.”  
Arga pursed her lips, aquamarine eyes wandering over the shelves.  
“Did Ursul give you a time limit, Majesty?” she asked finally.  
Ariel shrugged, uncomfortable.  
“Just before the end of the day.”  
“I see. Can you count, measure, etc, Majesty?”  
“Yes.”  
Arga seemed pleased.  
“Well, Majesty. This could be your lucky day.”  
Ariel doubted it but she was willing to bite.  
“How?”  
“Knowing that you can count and measure, Majesty,” the blond explained. “That makes this task seem less Herculean and more achievable,”   
Arga cracked her knuckles.   
“Let’s get the ball rolling. Find and bring whet stones, knives and spoons. Then we the measuring cups and scales. While you’re doing that. I’ll find the books you need.”

OoOoOo

They had made up to six antidotes for various manners of ills and three weight loss potions.   
So far, Ariel and Arga were getting along just fine. Arga had even started calling her “Ariel” again.  
Whilst chopping and grinding, Ariel explained her qualms about Ursul resuming his old lifestyle and her role in it to Arga.   
The young Queen was more than simply glad the older woman didn’t rebuke her for needing to discuss such a thing without the other half of their Monarchy present.   
Instead, Arga made the following suggestion.  
“Make the polyp garden a last resort?”

oOo

“Well I was expecting utter chaos,” Ursul remarked as he inspected Arga’s and Ariel’s efforts. “Half of the books here are Latin or Greek.”  
“Will they work?”  
Ursul held a bluish green weight loss potion to the light.  
“They should be fine,” he said then pointed at the head of the vial. “See the dark green at the top? Nearly too much, A stomach ache will be had after imbibing but you’ve made it, me dear! Well done! ”  
“Arga was an immense help to me,” Ariel admitted. “I would have been clueless without her.”  
“Good, good,” Ursul said, replacing the vial. “It’s not having aid that bothers me. It’s having aid we can trust. You need to know who’s on your side.”  
“So you approve of Arga?”  
“I sent her to help you, yes?”  
“You did,” Ariel agreed slowly. “As a test?”  
“I did want to see if you could put the task before personal issues and you did. Well done. When it comes to Arga, we can’t go wrong. She’s smart and efficient. If you need something done under pressure you ask for her.”  
Ariel folded her arms across her chest, licking her lips.  
“Arga and I came up with an idea,” she told Ursul, leaning against a wall.  
He replaced the potion, giving her his full attention.  
“And that idea is?”  
“The polyp garden. It’s inevitable you’re going to use it again, isn’t it?”  
Leaning against the wall opposite her, Ursul stroked his chin.  
“Maybe …”  
“What if …” Ariel paused, wanting to deliver the idea without stammering. “Well what if we use it as a last resort?”  
Ursul hissed through his teeth. It wasn’t an angry sound, twas more regrettable.  
The Queen felt her shoulders slump.  
“You were hoping I wouldn’t go there,” she stated.  
“Too true,” Ursul confirmed.   
Ariel swore under her breath.  
“What you need to understand is we are going to war,” Ursul stressed. “As you already know, war is a cruel business. We need to be ruthless. If we let them go before we’ve started we don’t know whether we can or cannot trust them.”  
“You could make them trust us,” Ariel pressed in earnest. “Or not turn anyone at all?”  
“I’ve already made the necessary announcements,” Ursul told her frankly. “The Merpeople of the Arctic are coming to see us tomorrow. Their King is still sore from losing your sister Attina to a younger male hence we need to strike a bargain. Your sister will be excluded of course. Guthred has a wife who suits him just fine. All he wants is to see Triton supplanted. Honour and all that.”  
“You made a bargain with someone without me?” Ariel cried incredulously.  
Ursul shrugged.  
“Well yes. You were on land with your boy toy at the time.”  
Seeing she had no room to make a worthwhile argument, The Queen bit back any lasting retort, fought for sufficient calm and relaxed her posture.  
“So you’re telling me, for now, you have no intention of trolling these waters?” she asked. “At all?”  
Ursul shrugged.  
“The war can’t begin till we’re ready to attack, Ma Chere,” he replied.  
“What?”  
The Witch tapped her nose with the tip of one of his tentacles.  
“Never mind. No. There won’t be any patrolling Triton’s waters for fresh meat. He’ll be expecting that. You and I will make a union with Guthred and then we’ll have an army Triton will quake at the sheer sound of. Once the battle is won those who have decided to join us will be received with open arms.”  
“And the ones who don’t?”  
“Their families will live in our court as wards whereas the men and women who oppose us will either face the sword or make a short trip to the garden.”  
Bowing her head, Ariel let out a shuddering breath.  
“I understand,” she whispered meekly.  
Her face was gently pushed up by Ursul’s warm hands.  
“Listen to me,” he told Ariel firmly, making sure she was looking at him. “You are not a simple girl. You are not a weak girl. You are a woman. You are a Queen and you are on your way to becoming a more than capable Witch. You will overcome any scruples you have and you will reign over these people with me.” Ursul trailed his fingers along her alabaster cheek. “You’ve come this far with me. You can’t falter now.”  
Ariel felt her survival instincts kick in.   
“I’ll do the impossible,” she murmured wearily.  
‘I can do the impossible,’ the young woman thought as her mate thanked her for her compliance by pulling her to his chest and stroking her hair and back. ’To keep my family and friends safe. I will even do the unthinkable. But I don’t want to,’

The Leviathan entrance

“You really shouldn’t be filling our Queen’s head with false hopes.” Ursul wagged a finger at Arga. “Naughty, naughty girl.” He drew closer. “Shall I bend you over my makeshift knee, perhaps? Then again, best not you rather enjoyed that.”  
“Ariel was distraught,” Arga countered angrily. “I was only trying to help.”  
“Were you?” Ursul swiped just as angry. “Were you really? You left Denmark in a huff! No worries by the way! It was more than a pleasure picking up the pieces you broke!”  
“You broke her too!” Arga snapped. “I’m not the only guilty party here!”  
“Well sooner rather than later you and I will know whether if we’ve made a colossal mistake or if we’ll be seeing Mount Olympus.”  
“What are you talking about?” Arga demanded.  
“It means that the moon I wed, that you helped me change, our lover girl under, will be making its rounds next year. I intend to send our young lady up as soon as I and your father deem her ready. Neither one of us are going to clue her in. Understood?”  
“It-”  
“It’s more than understood,” Arga’s father interrupted, sliding out of the shadows. “Not only have you been like a son and daughter to me, you have been a true friend and a Monarch our people know they can trust. We will do whatever you think is best.”  
Arga wanted to scream.  
“Father I can handle thi-”  
“Thank you for your spontaneous display of support, Albian,” Ursul muttered icily, cutting Arga’s protest off below the knees. “But I was speaking to your daughter.”  
“You remembered my name,” The elder Cecaelian remarked, amused. “Not so long ago I would’ve wagered you’d forgotten it.”  
“My memory’s improved recently,” Ursul replied. “Nothing a good shag now and then can’t fix.” He refocused his attention on Arga. “Now are we all clear? Are we all agreed?”  
The young woman’s face was a mixture of pain, anger and sorrow.  
“I’m … clear,” she said, shoulders slumping in defeat. “I will endeavour to follow whatever instruction you deem fit to give.”  
“Thank you.” The Sea Witch yawned. “Now pray excuse me. The morrow draws near and I have a green Witch slash Queen to mentor. I bid you both a lovely evening.”

The main chamber

The following evening had Ariel slumped over the cauldron, head buried in her arms and hair, snoring softly and her tentacles and the eels cushioning her as she slumbered.  
Shaking his head at the sight, Ursul sighed.  
“Well this brings back memories,” he muttered.  
Gliding to her side, The Witch shooed the eels away then peeled his sleepy protégée off the cauldron, carrying her in the direction of their bed chambers.  
“Mmm … I need to feed the polyps,” Ariel mumbled, head cradled against his chest. “There’s-”  
“Shh. We haven’t got any yet, remember?” Ursul reminded. “Everyone’s been perfectly affable thus far. Now go back to sleep. It’s another early start for us tomorrow.”

Flashback, the surface, The Palace, a guest chamber.

Seated before the fireplace, watching the fire he had just rekindled, Ursul asked himself one question out loud.  
“Do you know what you’re doing?”  
Twas only the second time he’d dare ask himself such a thing.   
The first was when he agreed to let Titan …  
Ursul flinched and wrapped his arms around his person.   
Squeezing his eyes shut he hissed through clenched teeth.   
He couldn’t afford to think about that now.   
“All you can afford to think about is your own ambition, yes?”  
Ursul unfolded himself from the chair and stepped closer to the flames.  
“I did not give you permission to know my mind,” he said frankly without malice.  
The fire nymph stepped delicately out of her …. Home.  
“I need to see your … limitations before I can help you,” she explained.   
“Oh I am sure that was your reason!” Ursul swiped with a less then dignified snort.  
The woman tilted her auburn head to a side.   
“You do want my help, yes?”  
Ursul, deciding it would behove him to be sitting, resumed his prior stance, this time bowing his head before the flaming woman.  
“Take it,” he said. “It’s all yours.”  
The nymph reached out a flaming hand, touching a warm fingertip to Ursul’s forehead.  
She withdrew it quickly, her expression was quite puzzled at first. Then it became pitying.  
“Oh you poor thing ….” she whispered before Ursul could tell her to wipe the woe from her golden face. “No wonder you … I don’t think … Titan raped you, didn’t he?”  
“Just get rid of it!” Ursul snapped at her. “Before I rip into you and leave you with a centuries worth of smarting!”  
“Ursul there is nothing to get rid of!” she cried. “You’re not a true narcissist! This is a façade! Protection!”  
“Bollocks!” Ursul swore in a hiss.  
“Arga! The woman you were courting!” the nymph pushed. “You took her place. That’s why you ended things with her, yes? You’ve hated her ever since.”

End of flashback, a year later, Triton’s Palace, Triton’s Presence Chambers

All stared at the couple and those who could not see the couple moved quickly so they could get a better look.  
“Ariel!” Flounder cried.  
If anyone apart from her own father was going to recognise Ariel it was her best friend.  
At first no one believed him.  
then they took a closer look.   
The eyes, the nose and the lips.   
Unmistakable.   
It was the missing Princess.   
“Oh mon!” Sebastian groaned into his claws.  
Jetsam, Queen Ingrid, fell into a swoon. She was immediately carted off, an act barely noticed by Triton or his daughters.  
“She’s turned against us!” a Merman cried.  
“How dare she?” his teenage son shouted in equal fury.  
“Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!”  
“Daddy what’s going on?” Aquata demanded over the din.   
The Heir Assumptive’s sisters stared up at their father who, in turn, had his own eyes affixed on the approaching Cecaelian’s.  
“You really should have loosened the noose around the girl’s necks, My Liege,” Ursul announced as he and Ariel sailed towards the glorious golden throne.   
“Seize them ….” Triton croaked.  
The Palace guard moved forth reluctantly.  
“Stop!” Adella cried. “Wait!”  
The guards did as requested.  
“Them?” Attina questioned. “Daddy-that’s our sister! That’s our Ariel!”  
“She’s not your sister anymore!” Triton barked savagely. Turning to his guards.  
“I SAID SEIZE THEM!”   
Seeing they had no choice but to obey, The Palace Guard darted forth.   
Ursul and Ariel remained still and silent.   
Before one sentry could lay one finger on either of them there was a loud roar. It flooded the entire chamber, causing the court to cry out and look to their Monarch.  
“What is this?” Triton demanded. “What have you done!”  
“That was our army,” Ursul replied. “Don’t tell us you didn’t see this coming sooner or later.”  
.“Your Majesty,” a frightened sea horse piped up. “There are-”  
“SILENCE!” The Sea King bellowed.  
The poor creature bolted.  
“What your subject was trying to tell you, father, is that The Palace is being surrounded now as we speak,” Ariel informed. “You’re out numbered. We have two hundred thousand you have ninety.”  
“I’ll not suffer a Witch to live!” Triton barked.   
Ariel refused to be cowed.  
“Listen to our terms,” she replied, forcing steel into her voice. “I think you’ll find they’re more than generous. As you may have already guessed. We have more than enough warriors out there. Waiting outside. Ready to reduce this place to rubble if-”  
“You’re lying!” Algernon accused from his place beside Aquata.  
“If you do not listen to us we’ll just give the go ahead and this place will be reduced to ashes,” Ariel relayed, ignoring her brother in law. “Your army slaughtered. Your people will blame you for not showing sense.”  
The Sea King glowered ominously at his daughter.   
The young woman stared back. Her face was that of a statue. Cold, unfathomable. But her eyes told a different story.  
‘Don’t destroy them out of hatred for us,’ Ariel pleaded with her eyes. ‘Let them go. Please just let them go.’  
Triton raised his Trident.  
“No!” Ariel shouted.   
Before she could make a grab for the Trident, Ursul pushed her behind him, snarling and baring his teeth, tentacles sending black ink in all directions.   
Hundreds upon hundreds of fully armed Cecaelians, sharks, eels and snakes flooded the chamber, disarming Triton’s guards as though it was the easiest thing in the world to do.   
Triton, blinded by the clouds of ink, bellowed like a great bull, uselessly brandishing his trident.  
“Seize him!” Ursul yelled over the din, keeping a distraught Ariel by his side.   
“Seize that brute and bring him to heel!” 

oOo

There could have easily been a massacre. Luckily Ursul and Ariel’s forces overran The Presence Chamber, at last, disabling Triton.   
Well.   
Disabling The Sea King enough he was forced to calm down and admit defeat.  
“Round up the rebels,” Ursul ordered, letting Ariel go. “Put them in the dungeons.”  
“Sire.”  
“I’ll leave you to oversee your father,” he told Ariel. “Calm your sisters. I’ll meet with you back here in a few hours.”  
Allowing herself a second to take everything in, Ariel approached the head of their guard surrounding her father.  
“I want my father well and I want him alive,” she told him. “The same goes for his Queen. Understood?”  
“Majesty,” The Cecaelian replied with a quick dip of his head.  
“Good and make sure my gift to him is installed before he enters the chamber. I want him to look at it every day.”  
“Consider it done Majesty.”  
OoOoOo  
Ariel had been trying to calm Flounder and Sebastian when she received an almost welcome interruption.   
“What happens to us?” Aquata demanded from her side of the chamber.   
Ariel was hardly surprised the older woman had addressed her so soon.  
Aquata wasn’t the type to dilly dally after all.   
Excusing herself from her friends, Ariel sailed over to her sister, noting she’d kept her sisters and their offspring at a distance.  
‘Well, its early days,’ she thought.  
“You declared your side,” she told her sister, clasping her hands over her belly.   
“And that means what exactly?” Aquata demanded.  
“You didn’t side with Algernon.” Ariel explained then pointed at the headless corpse of Aquata’s mate, lying atop the pile of corpses, the result of Triton’s resistance. “You’re alive. This means you, your sons, our sisters, none of you will be punished. Instead you’ll be rewarded. You’ll learn to read and write, speak other languages. Travel to and from the surface.”  
“It sounds like a dream,” Aquata pointed out. “In exchange to actually live this dream we have to maintain unwavering loyalty to you and your mate, don’t we?”  
Ariel folded her arms across her chest.  
“Would it really be so bad?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.  
According to her big sister … Yes it would be.  
“A Sea Witch Ariel … We were taught to be afraid of them!” Aquata argued with bite.  
“Maybe the teachers were blindsided?” Ariel asked, her tentacles inadvertently curling inwards. “We’re not all bad. You’ll see that once you get to know us.”  
Aquata flinched so sharply one would’ve thought Ariel had slapped her.  
“What are you going to do with our father?” she asked, determined to remain in control. To not fall apart at the seams.   
“Nothing. Our father killed several of our people but that’s the consequence of failed negotiations, isn’t it? We’re not interested in being seen as anything but fair. He can stay with his bride in an ivory tower while Ursul and I make the necessary changes. We’re not interested in fighting, killing, anyone unless we absolutely have to.”  
Gods Ariel hoped that was true.  
“Aquata?”  
The eldest and youngest of the supplanted Sea King looked to their sisters.   
The group of young women were huddled together with their children, nervously beckoning Aquata to them.  
“Thank you for telling me how things are going to be and thank you for keeping our father alive … Please excuse me, Ariel. They need me.”  
“You’re excused,” Ariel replied evenly. “But we will need to talk later, Aquata,” she added with kindness. “To catch up. I really have missed you.”  
The Merwoman seemed to want to say something in response to that but as fate would have it, she never got a chance.   
“Aquata?”  
“Majesty. The King needs you in Triton’s war room,”  
Ariel sighed.  
“Of course.” She looked to her sister. “Aquata. I’m sorry but-”  
“Aquata?”  
“I have to go too,” The Princess replied curtly. “I need to calm the others down.” She tried to smile warmly at her sibling, failing. “Thank you for your generosity Ariel. I’m sure we’ll find a chance to speak soon.”  
Ariel was relieved. She almost reached out to touch her sister then thought the better of it.  
“I’d like that,” she told her sister in earnest. “If there’s anything I can do to help you settle please don’t hesitate to send for me. I mean it.”

oOOo

The messy task of filling the dungeons had been dealt with thanks be to the truth agent Ursul and Ariel let loose in The Presence Chamber shortly after their arrival.  
Splitting denizens up into loyal, undecided and clearly disloyal had taken up only a maximum of five hours’ time.  
Now all Ursul and Ariel had to do was officially demote Triton to Dowager Sea King, have a coronation, and then their reign could begin.

Ariel and Ursul’s bedchambers

The crown slid off Ariel’s head, wounding around her arm, causing The Cecaelia to sigh in relief.  
“Thank you for relocating our chambers,” Ariel told Ursul as she reached for her comb. .  
She had been so worried about a mass murder she was on the receiving end of a particularly nasty headache. The tonic Arga had made for her hadn’t been in her system long enough to work it’s magic.  
Piss poor pun intended, not intended.  
Whatever.  
“Well I could hardly get it up for you in your Daddy’s now could I?” Ursul replied as he lay down on the clam bed.  
Ariel winced at his reflection in her mirror.  
“Really?” she asked incredulously. “You just had to go there?”  
“Sorry pet.”  
“No you’re not.”  
He pouted.  
“I am a little.”  
She scoffed and rolled her eyes.  
“Sure, sure.”  
Ursul sighed contentedly, stretching out all his limbs.   
“Fancy a cuddle?” he asked, patting the only part of the bed that hadn’t been occupied by his tentacles.   
Ariel was still feeling sarcastic.  
“I thought you’d rather glide about and gloat?” she snipped.  
“I can do that later. During tonight’s festivities with you on my arm,” Ursul replied. “And I’m knackered too.” He patted the mattress again. “C’mere and give us a cuddle. We’ve done it Angelfish!”  
“I have a headache.”  
“A cuddle and a massage then?”  
Ariel couldn’t help but cave.   
It would be nice to be held, to be rubbed and stroked.  
And she was so, so very tired.  
“Anything else and I’ll put you in the dungeon to cool down,” Ariel warned as she put her comb down and rose from her boulder. “Or turn you into a toad.”  
The Witch held his arms out for her.  
“I can play nicely.”  
Ariel smiled thinly.  
“You couldn’t play nicely if your life depended on it.”  
She allowed Ursul to pull her down to his chest.  
“Mayhap I’ll surprise you?” he challenged and then quickly pressed his lips to her forehead.  
Pressing her nose against the warm, smooth skin, Ariel closed her eyes, sighing contentedly.  
“Maybe …”  
She was sound asleep within seconds.

The end


End file.
